Success Stories - Johnson County

The Influence 4-H Has on Development of Life Skills

We wanted to measure the real impact of 4-H. Sixty five last year 4-H members were asked to participate in a survey. Over 90% of the respondents felt that 4-H had some to significant influence on their leadership, good character, organization, and decision-making skills! Over 80% stated that 4-H had some to significant influence for responsibility, record keeping, communication, involvement in community service, healthy self-image, and quality friendships.

When asked what the most important thing they learned from participating in 4-H, one respondent said, "Time commitment and hard work can be satisfying and have great pay offs." Another 4-H member stated, "I have met the greatest people through 4-H. 4-Hers are a significant breed of people that have a unique ability to accept others and open their arms to everyone."

When asked what the greatest contribution 4-H has made to their life was, one 4-Her stated, "4-H has made me a better person. It taught me responsibility, leadership, and how to work well with others!"

Beginner's Guide to Grant Writing

The Beginner's Guide to Grant Writing Program was a statewide effort of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service that delivered a 16 hour grant writing program via IP video.

Upon completing the workshop, participants felt more confident in their grant writing skills, understanding how to develop a project idea into a proposal, and knowing where to find information for available funding. Particpant reports of funds awarded to program participants indicated $6.0 million in funded proposals.

Diabetes Education Reduces Diabetic Complications

Over the past 4 and one-half years, Dining with Diabetes has reached 155 people in Johnson County. Participants completed pre and post evaluations indicating increased confidence in their ability to control their diabetes. The evaluation indicated positive behavioral changes in the following areas:

I feel confident that I can keep my diabetes under control; significant change from "agree" to "strongly agree"

How often do you consider portion size when making meal selections; significant change from "sometimes" to "frequently"

How often do you use the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods to plan my meals; significant change from "sometimes" to "frequently"

Do these changes make a difference in one's diabetic health? Yes, change that increases knowledge and confidence in controlling one's blood glucose result in fewer diabetic complications which lowers health cost and raises the quality of life!

Family Nutrition Program improving nutritional intake

The Family Nutrition Program, FNP, is in its eighth year in Johnson County. The Family Nutrition Program's mission is to increase the ability of individuals and families with limited resources to utilize their food dollars appropriately and to provide a safe meal environment.

As a result of the FNP lessons, a client reported that she had been able to lose 17 pounds as a result of label reading and planning meals according to the recommended servings for the food groups. Another client with three small children is now using serving sizes when serving meals and snacks: "Pringles are nno longer just placed in the hands of the children." She is determined to use the labels to make food choices.

Farm Festival: Where Tradition Meets Technology

The primary goals of Farm Festival 2007 are to educate urban neighbors while showcasing farming practices, livestock operations, the agricultural industry, and to promote agricultural literacy and collaboration amongst community leaders, agribusinesses, producer groups, and consumers. The 2007 Farm Festival showcased four agricultural operations in Johnson County, Indiana.

Farm Festival 2007 had 7,500 guests visiting four family farming operations. We had guest from 57 counties throughout Indiana and 11 different states. The Johnson County agricultural and business community supported this event through donations amounting to $16,550.

Guest's comments:

"...a wonderful, education and interesting opportunity to learn more about farming in Indiana."

"Great idea! Even my kids loved it and it wasn't on the computer or TV."

"For parents, such as I, who have had to raise children in a non-farm neighborhood setting... this provides an amazing look into what goes on at different types of farms."

Increasing Safe Techniques in Home Canning

Who taught you to home can; your mother, grandfather or neighbor? Many home preservers assume that if the canning jar seals the food is safe; no matter what method was used to preserve the food. This assumption could lead to devastation for your loved ones.

Educational updates and workshops have been conducted in five Indiana counties reaching 108 consumers and Extension educators. Participants were asked to identify what they had learned as a result of the workshop. Responses included: the importance of using only research based recipes, no home modifications; not leaving canned goods in the canner overnight following processing; water bath and pressure canner differences and the importance of using the correct method (pressure or BWB) for the appropriate foods based on pH.

A participant commented, "I knew very little about Home Food Preservation and from taking this course, I now know that what I knew was completely wrong; therefore, I will change everything to be in accordance to what was covered. This course was excellent-I still have a lot to learn, but this was a wonderful start!"

Legal Issues of Rural Ownership

With a pipeline going across some Johnson County properties and the concern of a possible outer loop to Interstate 465, residents were seeking answers to their questions. The Johnson County ANR Advisory committee worked jointly with Johnson County Farm Bureau and Leadership Johnson County to organize and faciliatate a panel on Rights and Responsibilities of Land Ownership, Managing Liabilities, Development Issues, and Land Appraisals.

A post-evaluation survey was given and the following are results:

100% of participants agreed to strongly agreed that they had increased knowledge and understanding of their rights and responsibilites as a land owners.

100% of participants agreed to strongly agreed that they had increased understanding in dealing with development issues related to their land

87% of participants agreed to strongly agreed that they knew what credentials and where to locate a certified appraiser

Weight management & Wellness - Cutting County Health Costs

As the 10th most obese state in the nation, our health care system and economy are overburdened. Purdue Extension continued a 10-week Weight Management and Wellness Series. Participants weighed in weekly and had the opportunity to attend an educational program weekly.

When asked what actions participants planned to take in the future as a result of the program, 86% indicated they would decrease portion sizes of foods eaten and 79% indicated they would increase their physical activity. Johnson County government saw a reduction in employee health care claims in 2008 as a result of the Wellness Series and activities. One participant stated, "I have an extreme weight problem and congestive heart failure; it has been so important to have this help."

'Beef Cattle Feeding' Statewide Meetings

The supply of forages, in the form of hay, were short across the state of Indiana in 2007 due to weather conditions. Farmers were reaching for alternative crops to plant and better feeding methods to extend the forages they had on hand.

Purdue Extension worked in conjunction with the Indiana Beef Cattle Association to organize meetings across Indiana emphasizing "dealing with a short forage supply". Ninety two percent of the beef cattle producers attending intended to try some of the techniques discussed. Producers also stated as a result of this workshop that they would utilize more grain byproducts, use a different type of hay feeder, feed cows seperately according to body condition scores, and/or limit feed hay and utilize soy hulls in diets.