Tag: Controlled Environment Agriculture

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The Howards & CEA

CFA Admin

Crisp, farm fresh lettuce in the middle of winter? Revenue coming in as all the seed, plant starts, and other winter expenses start to pile up? Jeff & Sue Howard of Howard Farms in Breathitt County can answer “Yes!” to both questions thanks to their investment in controlled environment agriculture systems.

Nestled in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, Jeff and Sue Howard turned to agriculture a little over ten years ago to help pay the mortgage after Jeff was laid off from the mines. Moving from gardening for personal use to commercial growing on a small plot of land was a bit of a learning curve. The Howards started by reaching out to the Breathitt County Extension Office and then grew their network of technical assistance providers and resources to include the Kentucky Center for Agriculture & Rural Development (KCARD), Grow Appalachia, the Kentucky Horticulture Council, USDA-NRCS, Community Farm Alliance, and others. Through their perseverance and vision of how their farm could grow using the available resources, they combined open field production with controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems to make the most of their space.

Over the last decade, their farm has grown to include two high tunnels, two greenhouses, and a hydroponic lettuce system in addition to their open field growing spaces. Jeff credits their controlled environment agriculture systems with enabling them to expand from farmers markets into new market channels such as schools and community support agriculture (CSAs) which has provided them “a more constant and reliable source of income year-round.” Sue notes that “it [CEA] has turned our part-time/summer-time farming into year-round farming.”

Their hydroponic lettuce system, housed in one of the high tunnels, has supplied the Jackson Independent Schools with lettuce during the school year and their summer feeding program for the last four years. This farm-to-school program was recently highlighted on KET’s Kentucky Life with Part one featuring the farmers, including the Howards, who supply the school and part two featuring Jackson Independent.

Last December, the Howards got a call asking if they could supply a winter farm share that was being aggregated by Northfork Local Food to serve families in the Knott and Perry County school systems. Between their hydroponic lettuce production and high tunnel capacity, they agreed. Thanks to the Howards’ investment in controlled environment agriculture, 50 families in Knott and Perry Counties have enjoyed fresh lettuce along with chives, radishes, salad turnips, and other greens throughout this winter and early spring – and the Howards have enjoyed regular income.

Pictured: Jeff & Sue at the Perry County Farmers Market, one of the Northfork winter resilience farm shares & lettuce growing in their hydroponic system, one of the

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2026 Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference 

CFA Admin

The last weekend of February brought sunny skies and 200 Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference attendees to Corbin. Farmers, aspiring farmers, technical assistance providers, students, and others gathered at The Corbin Center to learn and network – and enjoy some delicious food prepared by farmer and chef, Kristin Smith (The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery).  

After last year’s interest in onsite learning, the conference offered two pre-conference activities: 

  • A field day at Sustainable Harvest Farm where Ford Waterstrat and staff from  Mountain Associationand Kentucky Horticulture Council shared how they worked together to create energy and on-farm water projects which have helped Ford grow his operation and led a tour of those projects for attendees to see them first hand. (see OAK’s social media post on this field day)
  • A tour of the Wilderness Trail Area Marketing Alliance which supports cattle, sheep, and goat producers by reducing transportation costs to market, providing space for health screenings, and hosting Extension-led workshops focused on improving livestock care, health, and market profitability.

Over the course of a day and a half, farmers, technical assistance providers, and university faculty led 18 workshops focused on horticulture and livestock production and the business of farming. Participants left with pages of notes and heads full of new ideas after learning how Maggie Bowling adapted strawberry plasticulture production to her farm, the nutrient rich recipes Robert Jones uses to keep his bees heathy over the winter, and how Chad Conway has adapted his farming operation to more resiliently withstand extreme weather events. Just down the hallway, staff from Pine Mountain Settlement School were preparing the next generation of farmers with sessions geared to school aged youth. 

New to the conference this year was a round table discussion on cut flower production in the mountains led by three cut flower farmers where the room was almost standing room only – emphasizing the need for additional education and support for cut flower production in eastern Kentucky. 

Appalachian Regional Healthcare’s mobile unit offered free health screenings to participants while Raising Hope’s mobile unit provided farm safety resources and mental health support. In addition, 25 other organizations serving eastern Kentucky farmers set up in the conference exhibit hall to provide information and resources to attendees. (see social media post from ARH employees)

Mealtimes served as both an opportunity to network with other farmers and to be inspired. Friday evening, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture Warren Beeler shared stories of farming from across the Commonwealth, recognizing the hard work farmers do to feed our communities. Saturday’s lunch featured a panel of women farmers and writers reading pieces they wrote, and which are featured in Rooted, Resilient, Rising: Women Growing Food Across the Mountains, an anthology edited by Amy Le Ann Richardson which will be published soon by University Press of Kentucky. One conference participant noted, “The panel of women at lunch was an unexpected and intimate look into Appalachian women farmers. It made everything seem more woman friendly as these events can be heavily man based and focused.”

Launched at the 2023 Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference, awards are presented each year to organizations and individuals nominated by attendees for their work and impact on farming in eastern Kentucky. This year, the following were recognized:

  • Outstanding Farmer Ally – Accelerating Appalachia (their social media on this award)
    • In the words of one farmer who nominated them: “They provide outstanding financial support to farmers, are dedicated to serving BIPOC farmers, and have a deep commitment to regenerative soil.”
  • Outstanding Farmer Resource – Brett Wolfe, Center for Crop Diversification
    • An excerpt from one nomination: “Whether developing new tools, adapting swiftly in response to challenges like COVID-19, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, or leading CCD to new heights, Brett exemplifies the very essence of being an outstanding farmer resource.”
  • Outstanding Farmer Mentor – Jeff & Sue Howard, Howard Farms
    • From one of their nominations: “They are always more than happy to mentor people who need it and…willing to host field days and share information about their experiences. They are very easy to talk to and will give their time to help solve your problems.”

Attendees left the conference inspired, excited, exhausted, and full of new ideas. Some even left with door prizes. One attendee noted, “I think it was an amazing experience and very helpful!” while a first-time conference attendee said they “had a good time networking and learning.” The planning team (Community Farm Alliance, KCARD, Grow Appalachia, UK Horticulture, and Pine Mountain Settlement School) is already working on the 2027 Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference, so stay up-to-date by following the conference on Facebook or checking out our landing page.

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Considering a high tunnel for your farm?

CFA Admin

Whether you’re exploring your first hoop house, learning the ropes as a new grower, or managing emerging pest and disease challenges as an experienced grower, a new resource can help. Plus, if you don’t know where to start, from getting a farm number to the person to contact with your questions, CFA is here to help!  Reach out to us at info@cfaky.org

Our friends at Grow Appalachia, University of Kentucky, Kentucky Horticulture Council, NRCS, and KADF have developed a comprehensive high tunnel toolkit—the High Tunnel Resource Guide for Kentucky Producers—designed to support growers at every stage. The toolkit covers everything from deciding whether a high tunnel is the right production system for your operation to implementing effective integrated pest management strategies. High tunnels, or hoop houses, create a solar enhanced environment which extends the growing season and can enable year-round production. Plants are grown directly in the ground and side walls and vents are used to regulate the temperature inside the tunnel. Although high tunnels have been part of Kentucky agriculture for decades—pioneered by Dr. Emery Emmert at the University of Kentucky in the 1950s and 1960s—their use has expanded significantly in the past 15 years, in large part due to the NRCS EQIP program.

Available through UK’s Center for Crop Diversification website, the toolkit guides growers through tunnel selection and siting, commercial production practices, ongoing maintenance, and pest and disease management. It also includes links to extension publications, videos, and other helpful resources—making it a true one-stop shop for high tunnel production.

Learn more from the links below: