Center for Crop Diversification

Events

Webinar: Beyond Direct Sales: Market Pathways for Diversified Kentucky Farms

Oct 6, 2026, 12:00 – 1:30 PM

Webinar

Explore opportunities to sell Kentucky farm products through restaurants, schools, retailers, institutions, distributors, produce auctions, and other markets beyond direct-to-consumer sales. Using real Kentucky examples, presenters will discuss what buyers need from producers, including pricing, volume, food safety, quality, and logistics, and the partnerships that can help farms become market-ready.

Fall 2026 Marketing for All

Oct 15 – Nov 19, 2026

Webinar

The Marketing for All program is for small-to-mid-sized farmers and food entrepreneurs who want to enhance their marketing skills, improve market access, and increase their profitability. This free, virtual, interactive training program will take place over six weeks:

Cover Your Assets: Farm Records That Work For You

Oct 28, 2026, 6:00 – 7:00 PM

Good farm records are a tool for making informed business decisions and protecting your farm when unexpected events occur. Join the University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification for Cover Your Assets: Farm Records That Work for You, an educational session designed for specialty crop growers.

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News

NRCS Program Deadlines

from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Oct 5, 2026

Eligibility Deadline for FY27 Program Signups Producers who applied for EQIP, CSP, or RCPP by September 24, 2026, have until November 27, 2026, to submit all required eligibility paperwork to remain under consideration for FY2027 funding. Applicants should work with their local Farm Service Agency office to complete eligibility documentation. Local NRCS offices are available to assist with questions about requirements or the application process.

Fall is in the air and that means... Pumpkin Season!

Luize Lessmann, Extension Vegetable Research Analyst

Sep 30, 2026

Partner News

Pumpkins are a warm-season vining crop that come in an amazing variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. While most pumpkins take about 80–120 days to reach harvest, the actual time to maturity depends on the specific cultivar as well as temperature and weather conditions. Each cultivar has its own characteristics and is bred for a specific purpose. One of the most common types of pumpkins is the Jack o’ lantern. The cultivars are bred primarily for carving and decorating. While they make great Jack o’ lanterns, they tend to be less appealing for eating, often tasting bland or stringy.

Tour Takeaways: Considerations for Introducing Agritourism on Your Farm

Annie Scott

Sep 28, 2026

The CCD’s Annie Scott attended the “Exploring Agritourism for Your Farm: On-Farm Insights” tour hosted by University of Tennessee Extension’s Center for Profitable Agriculture. This program was funded by the USDA Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative. Read Annie’s insights from the tour.

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Our Mission

The University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification (CCD) helps farmers and businesses to plan, grow, and market better. We create and curate up-to-date, relevant, and accessible publications, price reports, videos, and in-person training opportunities.

The CCD is part of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Learn more about Extension and find your County Agent here.

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Quick Start Guide

New to the CCD or looking to expand your knowledge of all the great stuff we have available? This site is large and includes lots of information so we created this quick start guide to get you oriented and start exploring. Within you'll find some good starting points for exploring our site content.

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Newsletter

Our Newsletter offers features and articles relevant to specialty crop growers and marketers as well as reminders of upcoming events and trainings. It's delivered once a month right to your email inbox.

You can check out past issues here.

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Hort Biz Quiz

clip art of various fruits, vegetables and plants on mint background

The Hort Biz Quiz is a brief interactive tool that helps you identify strengths and weaknesses and potential crops and markets to pursue.

Take the Quiz