Agriculture

Although the local, sustainable food movement continues to grow in awareness, several Shelby County farmers find they must travel to Louisville for successful business.

Farmers cite the higher demand for organic and naturally grown products and a subsequent higher profit as the main reasons for for selling outside of Shelby County.

"It's a rural county, and a lot of people have their own gardens and grow their own food," said Larry Brandenburg of Harmony Fields Farm.

Shelby County’s farmers and growers say proposed rules changes by the U.S. Department of Labor for its migrant-labor program are unfair and could harm their business.

"From what I've seen, the changes would just about kill the program," said Melvin Moffett, owner of Snow Hill Nursery. "We'll be at the mercy of local help."

I can’t believe it’s almost 2010: another year of gardening and another year for the All- America Selections.

The AAS have an inherent good-gardening stamp of approval. The designation signals superior performance in a plant that usually includes vegetables, annuals and bedding plants.  More recently they have added a cool-season award to the list so gardeners can start planting now.  

"We're sleeping better this August," said Jack Trumbo as a forecast for Shelby County crop yields.

Trumbo, chairman of the Kentucky Soybean Board and president of the Shelby County Farm Bureau, said that soybeans, burley tobacco and corn will all have improved yields this year.

A report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms an optimistic outlook after last year's drought yields, showing statewide forecasts put corn production at 169.5 million bushels, soybean production at 57.2 million bushels and burley tobacco at 157 million pounds.