Leo’s Urban Farms

08/11/2026

Kentucky farmers, two funding doors are open right now. Both are worth a look before harvest gets busy.

Kentucky State University Small-Scale Farm Grant. Up to $5,000 per application, with a $10,000 lifetime maximum per farm household or business. It is open to Kentucky farms with gross annual agricultural sales above $1,000 and below $250,000 over the previous two years. Five categories: Value-Added Enterprise, Certified Organic Agriculture, Agroforestry and Specialty Crops, Food Systems Resiliency, and Emerging Agricultural Technologies. That last one covers controlled environment agriculture and precision ag for established operations. Applications are reviewed on a quarterly cycle, with the next deadline October 1.

Program details and applications: https://www.kysu.edu/academics/college-ahnr/school-of-anr/co-op/small-scale-farm-grant-program.php

Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund. Applications are due the last Friday of every month, which makes the next cutoff Friday, August 28. Projects need to benefit multiple producers. The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board approved more than $1.7 million in projects at its July meeting alone.

Application information: https://www.kyagr.com/agpolicy/Kentucky-Agricultural-Development-Fund-Applicants.html

If you are not sure which fits your operation, your county Extension office and the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development can both help you sort it out. KCARD keeps a running list of open grants here: https://www.kcard.info/active-grants

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08/02/2026

KADA Biochar On-Farm Trial

Kentucky Agriculture Development Advocacy (KADA) is seeking 25 Kentucky producers to participate in a standardized Biochar On-Farm Trial evaluating the effects of biochar on soil health, water retention, and fall/winter vegetable production. Participants will establish two 10 ft × 10 ft plots (one biochar treatment and one control), follow a standardized trial protocol, and document observations throughout the growing season. Producers who successfully complete all project requirements will receive a $500 participation incentive.

Space is limited to 25 participants. If you are interested in participating, please contact [email protected] for additional information and an application.

Application Deadline: September 4 at 11:59 PM.

08/01/2026

Did you know? In collaboration with Ale-8-One, Kentucky State University is bringing Kentucky’s native pawpaw to the spotlight.

Home to the world’s only full-time pawpaw research program, KSU continues to lead the way in pawpaw research, innovation, and education—celebrating one of the Commonwealth’s most unique native fruits.

💚💛

06/16/2026

06/04/2026

Great organization & program! I loved it 💚

Calling all beginning and early-career farmers! NFU's Beginning Farmer Institute (BFI) applications are now open! Don't miss out - applications are due July 1.

BFI is a free, online, 10 week program from October to December that helps producers improve the business resiliency of their farming or ranching operations.

Find out more at nfu.org/bfi