OREGON, Ill. - Two hundred eighty-seven Ogle and Carroll County fourth and fifth graders descended upon the Ogle County Fairgrounds on September 7 and 8 to harvest information about modern agriculture and its influences on daily living.  Hosted by University of Illinois Extension, Ag Awareness Days ’23 took youth on a fast-paced, interactive, guided tour of the science, engineering, and technology that drives today’s farm operations. 

Students engaged in thirty-minute workshops led by a variety of agricultural professionals throughout the experience for opportunities to mingle with livestock; explore different ag careers, chat with a traveling vet; discuss basic biotechnology concepts; learn about different crops: navigate way points, and discuss how much soil it takes to grow crops.  

This was the 21st consecutive year for U of I Extension’s award-winning Ag Awareness Days program.  It is intended that participants will think twice the next time they fry an egg, pass a corn field turned subdivision, put on their leather boots, wrap up in a wool blanket, drink a glass of milk, or eat a bowl of cereal.  The Midwest has long been heralded as a top agricultural production site.  It is logical that tomorrow’s leaders understand how they fit into it.

Many students reported that they most enjoyed hearing firsthand the daily events of a livestock vet, getting up close to a combine, and using a GPS unit to find hidden coordinates in a scavenger hunt. Students also had fun collecting cool fact cards at each of the workshop stations.  

Special thanks go to the entire Ag Awareness Day teaching team for volunteering their time and talents, and in some cases, their critters.  Workshops and presenters included:  “Harvesting Honey,” led by Jeff Ludwig, Byron; “Doctoring the Barnyard,” led by Taryn Pfeiffer, Polo Animal Hospital; “Ag Careers,” led by John Heisner, FCAE; “Cracking Up Over Eggs,” led by retired U of I Poultry Specialist  Ken Koelkebeck; “Dairy Production,” led by Kristi Snodgrass, Oregon; “Bite into Beef,” led by Annette and Allisa Martin, Ogle County Beef Association; “Engineering Ethanol” led by CHS staff, Rochelle; “Growing Up Grain” led by Justin Ebert and Highland Community College Ag Club; “Horses on the Farm” led by Bryan Hollewell and Family; “Weeds and their Needs” led by Extension Educator Kathryn Seebruck; “Magic of Modern Equipment” led by staff from Prairie State Tractor in Dixon; “Water..Pure and Simple” led by Extension Program Coordinator Marian Termini, Extension Educator Martha Ebbesmeyer, and Extension Educator Danielle Gapinski; Insect Heroes and Villains” led by Master Gardeners Phil Bratta and Marcia Heuer; “Hydroponics” led by Chelsea Eden and Oregon Ag students; “Harnessing the Wind” led by Extension Educator Johnna Jennings and Orion and Raiden Zimmerman;  ”Going Whole Hog” led by Deb Ohlwine, Polo and Brady Shank, Sterling FFA student; and “Layers of Land,” led by Brian Lindquist, Ogle County Soil and Water.

Participating classrooms represented Chadwick-Milledgeville School; Kings School; Monroe Center Grade School; Oregon Elementary School; and West Carroll Primary School.