As a connoisseur of “all things Kentucky,” I continually look to discover new information and available resources about our state by simply doing internet searches and seeing what pops up. Here’s a few results of a recent look, posed as questions and how to find answers:
Where can I find out more about groundwater and water wells on my Kentucky land?
The University of Kentucky has a great website with a detailed FAQ section about the subject. The site also includes a water fact sheet that originally garnered my interest in the subject. Did you know, for example, that Kentuckians use more than 4.3 billion gallons of water every day and that ninety-five percent is surface water and five percent groundwater?
You might also find helpful resources at eec.ky.gov and waterdata.usgs.gov.
Raising chickens has caught my Kentucky fancy. Where do I start?
Chickens in Eastern Kentucky(Photo from Pinterest)
Visit backyardchickens.com to find plenty of information about raising chickens. Also, put “Kentucky” into the search box. There, you’ll find a forum of Kentucky people sharing information. I found some delightful videos on YouTube narrated by children with enthusiasm for the subject. Go to Youtube.com and put “Kentucky Farms Feed Me Poultry” into the search box and that should get you there, along with other farm videos.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has a helpful website www.kyagr.com, a section on poultry that focuses on diseases. Another useful site I found informs about local regulations in keeping chickens on your property www.omlet.us.
I’ve heard of those special and tasty mushrooms called “morels.” Where can I learn about them?
Morel mushrooms (Photo from www.kentuckyhunting.net)
At morels.com, your Kentucky search will present you a forum with our people discussing their experiences in finding and processing this tasty and potentially financially valuable product.
At millercampbelldesigns.com, I found a remarkable memoir of a person reliving times past hunting morels with their father. Dave Shuffett, former Kentucky Life host on Kentucky Educational Television, did an informative article in the May issue of Kentucky Living. “Dreaming of Morel Season” is the title of a 2013 Kentucky Monthly article. Along with those sources, the video “Finding Morels in Eastern Kentucky!” is a well-done educational piece for the novice mushroom hunter. Also, Facebook has a page covering the area called Eastern Kentucky Morel Mushroom Hunting.
Kentucky, is, I’ve come to know, a community of storytellers. Where can I hear some stories and possibly participate in the art?
Visit the Kentucky Storytelling site www.kystory.org. It has a whole passel of information, including programs for all ages and an upcoming conference in the state. Does your group need a storyteller? There’s a list and bios of a whole host of them from which to choose, and the site shares helpful storytelling links. The organization also has a nice Facebook site. Adding to the goodies is this site www.artofstorytellingshow.com. We’re known in the Commonwealth for taking storytelling to a high art and these resources show it.
Hopefully one or more of the topics mentioned above grab your interest… and spurs you toward further research and possible involvement. Let readers know about the topics coming up in your search of what’s going on in Kentucky by emailing me at sflairty2001@yahoo.com.
Ben Woodard
I’d like to mention the recent passing of a fine Kentuckian who excelled at the art of storytelling, both orally and by the written word.
Ben Woodard, of Lexington, was an author of many children’s and young adult books, and I had an opportunity to interview Ben for this column Kentucky by Heart: Author and storyteller Ben Woodard ‘let’s himself go’ in his books for children.
Ben made a strong contribution to our state’s youth by publishing his many books and sharing stories at schools.
He will be missed and his death spurs me to further support efforts to fight the scourge of pancreatic cancer, the cause of my own brother’s passing.
