News

Food Safety Plans New Publication for Urban Farms

All produce growers will benefit from having a farm food safety plan, with growers in urban areas facing some unique challenges. A new resource has been developed to help guide urban farmers through developing a basic food safety plan.

Marketing Strategies to Crush Mother’s Day Sales

Mother’s Day can be one of the most significant sales opportunities of the year for cut flower growers. With preparation and targeted marketing, you can position yourself to capture this high-value market window. Think through some of the marketing strategies below to crush your Mother’s Day sales. 

New Video: Plant and Plug Sales at Auctions

A new beginner-friendly video is now available to help growers confidently participate in plug and plant sales held at Kentucky Produce Auctions. These sales provide an excellent opportunity for growers to expand the variety of flowers and vegetables they offer their customers without starting every crop from seed. Check out the video here.

Recommendations for Starting Disease-Free Vegetable Transplants

Home gardeners and commercial growers likely have placed their seed orders or have last year’s seed saved. Over the next few weeks, many will plant those seeds in order to establish transplants for spring and summer gardens. In some cases, those seeds may germinate, wither, and die (Figure 1). In other cases, plants may establish but become diseased shortly after transplanting.

Seed Starting

The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, and daffodils have opened their sunshiny faces. Spring in Kentucky is a magical time, and for our growers it signals the start of seed-starting season and the promise of a summer bounty. Timing Is Everything

CCD Resource Agent Overview/Update

Economic Considerations for 2026

Spring is approaching, and for many that means deciding what to plant. Before you finalize your seed orders or set your booth prices, it’s worth taking a look at what the numbers say about where Kentucky’s farmers market prices have been and where they might be heading. For a more comprehensive look at prices, you can check out our Price Reports section on the website, where all are available for download. 

Keeping Customers Engaged After Valentine’s Day

Retaining customers after Valentine’s Day can be a great way to build momentum and engagement for the rest of the year. The goal here is to turn a one-time holiday buyer into a repeat, relationship-based customer. Here are seven ways to stay engaged with your customers after Valentine’s Day: 

Updated ID-36 Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers, 2026-28 Now Available

The Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers (ID-36) has been updated and is now available to download.

Free Christmas Tree Planting Workshop to be Held on February 28

The University of Kentucky, the KY Horticulture Council, and the KY Christmas Tree Association are excited to announce a Christmas Tree Planting Workshop!