OREGON, Ill.— On September 4 and 5, 446 Ogle and Carroll County fourth and fifth-graders gathered for the 23rd annual Ag Awareness Days at the Ogle County Fairgrounds to learn about modern agriculture and its influences on daily living. Hosted by University of Illinois Extension, Ag Awareness Day took youth on a fast-paced, interactive, guided tour of the science, engineering, and technology that drives today’s farm operations.
The award-winning program offered students to engage in thirty-minute workshops led by a variety of agricultural professionals from the area. Students were able to mingle with livestock, explore different ag careers, chat with a traveling veterinarian, discuss basic biotechnology concepts, learn about different crops, navigate way points, and discuss how much soil it takes to grow crops.
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, harvesting honey, 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 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 Bob Ebbesmeyer, New Hope Vet Clinic and Taryn Pfeiffer, Polo Animal Hospital; “Careers to Grow Into,” led by John Heisner, FCAE; “Harnessing the Wind,” led by Extension Educator Abigail Nelson and Extension Program Coordinators Kathy Dombeck and Katie Williamson; “Raising the Herd,” led by Amanda Harbaugh, “Horses on the Farm” led by Melinda Merboth; “Water..Pure and Simple” led by Extension Educator Martha Ebbesmeyer and then by Extension Program Coordinator Marian Termini; “Insect Heroes and Villains” led by Master Gardeners Phil Bratta and Marcia Heuer; “Going Whole Hog” led by Deb Ohlwine, Polo; “Navigating the Row,” led by Ag in the Classroom Coordinator Melinda Colbert; “Tassel to Table” Renee Gehrke and Pearl City Elevator; “Cracking Up Over Eggs” led by the Oregon FFA Chapter; “Shear Delight of Sheep” Led by Ag in the Classroom Assistant Natalie Blum and “Layers of Land,” led by Extension Educator Peggy Anesi and then Brian Lindquist, SWCD.
Participating schools included Chadwick-Milledgeville Schools, Kings School Elementary, Eswood Community Consolidated School, Monroe Center Grade School, Oregon Elementary School, and West Carroll Primary School.
Ag Awareness Day continues to inspire future leaders by connecting them to the roots of agriculture and the possibilities it holds for their futures.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.