In this episode hosts Ray, Alexis, and Brett discuss the enduring appeal and sheer spectacle of state fair giant produce competitions. They explore the mix of agricultural science, elite genetics, and environmental conditions—such as Alaska's long daylight hours and cool nights—that drive these extreme growths. The hosts highlight notable Kentucky records, including a state-record 1,882.4-pound pumpkin from Grayson County, a 245.7-pound watermelon, and a 95-inch sunflower. They also marvel at mind-boggling national records like a 138-pound cabbage, a nearly 6-foot-long carrot, a 39.5-pound head of broccoli, and a 0.38-pound green bean. Wrapping up the episode, the hosts share what giant or random crops they would personally attempt to grow.



Growing Giant Pumpkins in the Home Garden [https://cfaes.osu.edu/fact-sheet/growing-giant-pumpkins-home-garden]

Exhibiting and Judging Vegetables [https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/4ah-16pa]



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State Fair Showstoppers

In this episode of Hort Culture, hosts Alexis, Ray, Brett, and Jessica sit down with Brandi Button Johnson, the Western Kentucky Value Chain Coordinator at The Food Connection (University of Kentucky).

The conversation kicks off with a humorous and comforting debate over favorite bean recipes, local comfort foods, and nostalgic kitchen memories. From there, Brandi shares her inspiring journey from growing up on a Barren County tobacco farm and directing a grassroots nonprofit to stepping into her current regional role.

Tune in as Brandi breaks down what a value chain coordinator actually does—navigating complex geographic landscapes, bridging the gap between local growers and institutional buyers like school systems, and building the "soft infrastructure" of trust and communication. The team also explores the vital importance of market diversification, mitigating agricultural risk, and why curiosity is the ultimate tool for overcoming skepticism in the farming community.

Love this episode? Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on Instagram @HortCulturePodcast! Have questions or comments? Reach out to us at hortculturepodcast@gmail.com.

What specific aspect of Brandi's work with Kentucky farm-to-school programs would you like to highlight or discuss further?



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Building Local Food Networks with Brandi Button Johnson

Thinking government programs are only for large-scale corn and soybean farmers? Think again! In this episode, we sit down with David Wayne, the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) for Kentucky, to bust the myth that federal agricultural programs leave out specialty crop and horticulture producers.

From navigating the essential first step of getting a farm number and filing your annual crop reports (Form 578), to leveraging low-interest Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) for cold storage and finding safety nets through the Non-Insured Crop Assistance Program (NAP), David shares practical, insider advice tailored specifically for growers. Whether you're running a multi-acre orchard, managing a small market garden, or keeping bees, this episode breaks down how the FSA can work for you.

In this episode, we cover:

 * Why filing a crop report is the crucial baseline for unlocking disaster assistance and funding
 * How the new Geospatially Enhanced Acreage Reporting (GEAR) system makes multi-planting horticulture reporting much easier
 * Low-interest financing options for cold storage units, walk-in coolers, and sorting equipment
 * How the Non-Insured Assistance Program (NAP) acts as crop insurance for specialty crops and honey production
 * Why accurate local data matters and how reporting your crops helps secure better Kentucky-specific pricing and disaster declarations

Love what you heard? Hit Subscribe or Follow the show, leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, and tag us in a selfie in front of your local FSA office on Instagram @HortCulturePodcast!



Kentucky Farm Service Agency [https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/kentucky]

USDA FSA Programs & Services: Learn more about farm numbers, crop reporting, and safety net programs [https://www.farmers.gov/]

Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD): Access agribusiness support, training, and grant facilitation assistance [https://www.kcard.info/]

Center for Crop Diversification (CCD): Provides resources, price reports, and production profiles for alternative and specialty crops [https://ccd.uky.edu/]

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: Provides research-based education, local county programs, and community resources across Kentucky [https://extension.mgcafe.uky.edu/]



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Navigating the FSA: Unlocking Support for Kentucky Specialty Crops & Horticulture with David Wayne

Thinking about turning that awkward patch of lawn or open field into a native wildflower meadow? You aren’t alone. In this episode, the team breaks down everything you need to know about transitioning away from turfgrass and building a successful, biodiverse pollinator habitat.

From navigating the crucial first steps of site prep to choosing the right seed mixes and managing your expectations for years one through three, we cover the real-world grit it takes to get that magazine-worthy meadow.

Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways

 * Embrace the Timeline: Wildflower meadows are a long game. Unlike fast-gratification annuals like zinnias, native perennials focus on building deep root systems first. Expect a "wheat field" look in year one, some blooms in year two, and a fully established meadow by year three.
 * Eliminate the Competition: You cannot just throw seeds onto an existing lawn and walk away. Whether you choose a burndown herbicide regimen, solarization with clear plastic, or smothering with black plastic, wiping out existing turf and the weed seed bank is the single most important step for success.
 * Timing is Everything: Fall or early spring are your primary windows depending on your prep method, but planting your seed mix in the spring often yields the best germination rates for many regional native species.
 * Curating the Right Mix: Aim for a minimum of 10 diverse native species (including workhorses like Black-Eyed Susan, Purple Coneflower, Bergamot, and New England Aster) paired with native bunchgrasses like Little Bluestem and Side-Oats Grama.
 * Low-Maintenance Living: Once established past year three, your maintenance drops significantly. Skip heavy fertilizers (low fertility is a native plant's superpower!) and practice light, high-mowing (6 to 8 inches) in early spring only after overwintering beneficial insects and seed-eating birds have had their fill.

Resources to Help Pollinators [https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/resources-to-help-pollinators]

UK Native Plant resources [https://nursery-crop-extension.mgcafe.uky.edu/ukrec-nursery-crops/native-plants]

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center [https://www.wildflower.org/]

Residential Rain Gardens [https://water.mgcafe.uky.edu/sites/water.ca.uky.edu/files/HENV205.pdf]



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Sowing Success: The Realities of Transitioning from Turf to Wildflowers

Winter may still feel a long way off, but the first frost will arrive before we know it! In this episode of Hort Culture, Alexis, Jessica, and Brett discuss preparing gardens, houseplants, equipment, and supplies for the coming cold weather. From bringing houseplants indoors and protecting tender crops to storing bulbs and tubers, managing hoses and irrigation equipment, and organizing frost-protection supplies, the team shares practical tips to help gardeners get ahead. As always, the conversation combines useful horticulture advice with plenty of stories and humor, reminding us that a little preparation now can prevent a lot of cold-weather panic later.



Prepare Garden Tools and Equipment for Winter [https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/prepare-garden-tools-and-equipment-for-winter-2/]

Winterizing Your Garden Tools [https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2017/10/winterizing-your-garden-tools]

Tidying Up Your Garden in Winter [https://clay.ces.ncsu.edu/news/tidying-up-your-garden-in-winter/]



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Winter Is Coming: Get Your Garden Ready

In this episode of Hort Culture, the hosts are joined by Savannah and summer fellow Eliana from the University of Kentucky’s Center for Crop Distribution (CCD) to discuss Eliana's research on farm-to-table markets and local agriculture. Throughout the summer, Eliana worked on price reporting, managed data for produce auctions and farmers' markets, and collaborated on updating a restaurant publication by interviewing local Kentucky growers and restaurant owners. The discussions revealed that restaurant owners buy local primarily out of an ethical commitment to supporting regional agriculture and acquiring high-quality produce, rather than viewing it merely as a marketing strategy. They also highlighted that the primary barriers to successful farm-to-table relationships involve communication challenges between farms and restaurants without a middleman, with experienced growers advising new producers to focus on crops that highlight distinct quality differences and stick to what they know rather than chasing every culinary trend. Ultimately, the fellowship helped confirm Eliana's career interests in agricultural economics as she prepares to graduate, take an ag law class, and look toward managing her own farm.

Center for Crop Diversification [https://ccd.uky.edu/]



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From Field to Fork: Eliana's Summer Fellowship

What does crop insurance look like for specialty crop growers, micro farms, and small-scale producers? In this episode of Hort Culture, the team welcomes Eston Williams, Navigator Project Specialist with the Southern Risk Management Education Center at the University of Arkansas, for a conversation about an often-overlooked side of horticulture: managing risk.

Eston shares stories from his upbringing on a Tennessee farm, his decades of work with USDA and NRCS, and his current role helping growers navigate crop insurance and risk-management resources. The conversation explores why insurance isn't just for large corn and soybean operations, how whole-farm and micro-farm coverage can benefit specialty crop growers, and why good recordkeeping and understanding your operation are so important.

The team also digs into some of the unique challenges facing horticulture producers, including cut-flower growers, value-added products, farmers-market operations, and even emerging agricultural enterprises like aquaculture. Along the way, Eston explains his role as a "navigator"—connecting growers with the right experts and resources when he doesn't have the answer himself.

It's an episode about protecting the work that goes into growing food, flowers, and other agricultural products—and making sure smaller and specialty growers know that risk-management resources are available to them, too.

USDA Risk Management Agency — Specialty Crops [https://www.rma.usda.gov/about-crop-insurance/highlighted-initiatives-plans/specialty-crops]

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) [https://www.rma.usda.gov/policy-procedure/general-policies/whole-farm-revenue-protection]

Micro Farm Program [https://www.rma.usda.gov/about-crop-insurance/frequently-asked-questions/micro-farm-2025]

Find a Crop Insurance Agent [https://www.rma.usda.gov/tools-reports/agent-locator]

RMA WFRP & Micro Farm Roadshow Resources [https://www.rma.usda.gov/about-crop-insurance/outreach-education/rma-roadshow]

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) [https://www.fsa.usda.gov/]

Crop Insurance, Risk Management & the Growers Who Need It Most

On this episode of Hort Culture, Ray, Alexis, Jessica, and Brett chat with Bryan Brady, Senior Extension Associate for Cultivate Kentucky, about everything from summertime Kentucky heat to the less-than-glamorous world of food safety and produce outbreaks. They dive deep into the biology of resilient microscopic parasites like Cyclospora, why standard wash water sanitizers can accidentally spread trouble across large batches of shredded lettuce, and how the lengthy incubation period makes these outbreaks so tough to trace. The crew also explores the intricacies of agricultural water risks, third-party GAP audits, and why buying local helps keep supply chains short and manageable compared to massive commercial operations.

Kentucky Hort Council Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) [https://kyhortcouncil.org/good-agricultural-practices-gaps/]

Kentucky Hort Council GAP Cost-Share Program [https://kyhortcouncil.org/khc-cost-share-programs/]

Bryan Brady, Cultivate Kentucky Senior Extension Associate [https://foodconnection.mgcafe.uky.edu/directory/brady-bryan]

The Kentucky Produce Safety Program [https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/documents/PS_UK_Extension_Publication_Kentucky_Produce_Food_Safety_Program.pdf]



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Cyclospora, Summer Surprises, and Safe Produce with Bryan Brady

In this episode of the Hort Culture podcast, hosts Alexis, Brett, Jessica, and Ray chat with Dr. Qinglu Ying from the University of Kentucky all about controlled environment agriculture (CEA). They dive into how greenhouse growing is booming across Kentucky, share a few laughs about dealing with classic Kentucky humidity, and break down practical grower challenges. The crew also explores the shift toward sustainable soilless media like wood bark and fiber, plus how cutting-edge LED lighting can actually boost plant health and antioxidants. They wrap things up with details on the upcoming Appropriate Tools and Technologies Field Day on August 25th and some great new extension resources for local growers.

Center for Crop Diversification-Greenhouse Resources [https://ccd.uky.edu/resources/systems/greenhouse]

2026 Appropriate Technologies Field Day [https://ccd.uky.edu/atfd]

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension [https://extension.mgcafe.uky.edu/]





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The Future of Controlled Environment Ag with Dr. Qinglu Ying

We are joined by Dr. Greg Davis to talk about how plants affect our daily lives and health. Greg is a long time listener and radio show host of Dr. Greg on Medicine! 

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Dr. Greg on Plants

Plant People (@atack2010) · Zencastr

Plant People (@atack2010)

Welcome to Hort Culture, where a group of Extension professionals and plant people talk about the business, production and joy of farming. So, join us for a chat on the culture of horticulture.

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