Cultivating Communities
Extension Education
Chris Hicks
Extension Agent III & County Director
Carthage
Abstract
The purpose of the Cultivating Communities television program is to educate consumers on how their food, fiber, and fuel are grown and raised, where they can purchase locally grown food, and how Extension plays a vital role in helping farmers increase the profitability and sustainability of their operations. We work with a different county Extension Agent each month to highlight farmers and Extension programs in their county. Interviews and footage are filmed in the county we are highlighting and then edited in the Extension office and sent to our television partners. We have a partnership with 3 different telecommunications companies in Middle Tennessee which air the episodes multiple times each month. Episodes are also posted on the Smith County Extension Facebook and YouTube pages. For Season 1, we filmed 8 episodes in 8 different counties. Each episode reaches over 16,000 households in 16 Middle Tennessee Counties. Total social media and television views for the 8 episodes of season 1 is estimated to be over 160,000. Viewers have reacted positively to the show and the stations have asked us to do another season in 2022. Comments submitted to our television partners by their viewers, as well as on social media, indicate that we are reaching our objectives and raising awareness of both the farmers in the region, as well as the Extension Agents who serve them.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
Click to view Poster
Authors: Chris Hicks, Katie Martin
-
Hicks, C. Extension Agent III & County Director, Member, Tennessee, 37030
-
Martin, K. Extension Agent II, Member, Tennessee, 37030