Urban Agriculture Programming with COVID-19 Restrictions in Houston County

Summary

COVID-19 guidelines implemented on face to face programming have altered how we are currently programming, and our urban agriculture programs have been adversely affected. These guidelines have made us “think outside of the box” and move our programming to virtual formats. Through these virtual programs, we have been able to reach a broad audience.

Situation

Guidelines for in-person, face to face programming has caused changes in how programs are being delivered in Houston County. The programs that have been adversely affected the most are our urban agriculture programs. Because of the guidelines put into place, we had to become more creative on how to get our programming information to the public.

Response

Because of the COVID-19 guidelines that have been implemented for face to face programing, my urban agriculture programs have had to evolve into virtual programs. Each year, Bibb and Houston County work together and offer the Master Gardener Extension Volunteer (MGEV) training class. Half of this year’s MGEV class was completed in a traditional fashion, but the last half of the class was virtual. We chose to use Zoom as our platform to deliver the class material. Classes were conducted every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 am to noon. This replaced our traditional class time of every Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Even though we lost the hands-on component of the training program, the 2020 MGEVs were able to receive the information they needed to meet the state requirements for the class and pass their final exam. UGA Extension Houston County also offered gardening classes to youth at the local libraries. A request came in from the youth director at the Perry Library for virtual summer programming. We were already on the schedule to come and teach the pre-teen homeschool kids how to make a container fairy garden, so this became the subject of our first Gardening Basic video. Since then we have produced two demonstration videos for the Perry Library, one demonstration video for the Library at Warner Robins Air Force Base, and a Pollinator Activity Bag with video instructions for the Perry and Centerville Library. The videos have been posted on the Houston County Library Facebook Page as well as the Houston County Extension Facebook Page. These videos are family oriented for both child and parent to participate. Each month we have an update with the Houston County MGEVs at a garden location. This year we have moved our updates to Facebook Live on our closed Facebook Group for Houston County Master Gardeners. MGEVs can tune in live and participate in the update, or they can watch the video at a later time. These videos are then edited and posted to our Houston County Extension Facebook page for public viewing. On October 18, we partnered with Georgia Military College (GMC) to offer a lunch and learn on native pollinators and plants. This lunch and learn was taught by Houston County Master Gardener Karen Le. Participants learned more about native pollinators and plants and were encouraged to visit the Native Plant Center at GMC.

Impact

• Our Garden Basics demonstration videos that are posted to Facebook are receiving around 300 views per video. “Great tutorial and film production. Thank you.” • We created and handed out through local libraries 100 Pollinator Activity Bags for youth, and the video that went along with the activity bag has reached 286 people on the Houston County Extension Facebook Page. • Our four Facebook Live MGEV updates were viewed by 131 Houston County MGEV with around 15 participating live during each video. “Thanks Emily, Charlotte and Christine! Emily, your yard is always perfect and an inspiration to me!” • The edited updates that have been posted to our Houston County Extension Facebook page have reached 4,956 people. • 55 people attended the Native Pollinator and Plants lunch and learn. The lunch and learn has also increased the attendance at the GMC Native Plant Center plant sale. Because of the impacts of these virtual programs, we have decided to continue incorporating virtual programs with our face to face programs. “Thank you. I enjoyed that presentation.” “Excellent Information.”

State Issue

Urban Agriculture

Details

• Year: 2020
• Geographic Scope: Multi-County
• County: Houston
• Location: College Station, Athens
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources