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What exactly is agriculture?
The recent Putnam County Fourth Grade Ag Field Day provided an opportunity for all of the county's fourth-graders to experience agriculture.
If one were to ask 10 people what is agriculture, there would likely be 10 different answers. There was livestock and grain as one would typically expect to find when one visits a local farm, which would most commonly be a response.
Putnam County does have considerable agriculture diversity when one considers the different types of farms around the county. In terms of land area, corn and soybean acres occupy most of the landscape.
The Fourth Grade Ag Field Day provided a broad look at the different items produced on farms both large commercial and small farms. Groups traveled around the Putnam County Fairgrounds to 16 different stations where presenters had 12 minutes with each group to teach a particular agricultural topic.
The event not only served as a learning opportunity for the fourth-grade participants, youth in local FFA and 4-H Junior Leader programs learned to become presenters, as they taught nearly half of the stations while others served as group guides.
Fourth-graders found there was more than corn and soybean fields in Putnam County as local and unique agricultural ventures in the county were featured.
Eddy-Lynn's Shrimp farm came and discussed their unique agricultural operation on the eastern side of the county where youth had a close hand look at fresh water prawn. Lacy Dooley from Parke County, a past Miss Indiana Honey Queen, discussed bees and honey production at her station.
Steve Sutherlin was back in action sheering sheep. It had been many years, but just like getting back on a bicycle, he demonstrated when sheering sheep how the entire fleece can be shaken and yet stay together showing wool to be different than hair that would disperse when shaken after it was cut.
While the help and assistance of the many adult volunteers, like Tom Holton who provided use his pigs from Red Barn Farms, are greatly appreciated, one of the neatest observations of the day is to see 4-H and FFA members bringing animals to the fairgrounds and teaching at stations. With so few having connections to agriculture and most being two or more generations from a farm, enabling youth to tell the story of agriculture is hugely important.
Youth shared animal care for their sheep, swine, beef, dairy, goat, poultry and rabbits. As always, the South Putnam FFA was spectacular with their aquaculture trailer and new this year was a dairy foods station presented by North Putnam FFA students.
These youths did a fabulous job presenting their topic and certainly learned valuable life skills from the presentation experience.
There were nearly 50 volunteers on site to make the event a huge success. These volunteers were hungry by lunch time and special thanks goes to North Salem State Bank, Animal Medical Clinic, Cloverdale Agri-Center and S&W Feed Center for sponsoring lunch for the presenters and other volunteers who make the day possible.
Check our website www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam to view the most up-to-date info. You can contact the local Purdue Extension Office by calling 653-8411 for more information regarding column topics or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee. All times listed are Eastern Time.
Upcoming Events
April 15: Extension Homemakers' Leader Lesson "Bumps in the Road to Wholeness."
April 17: 4-H Junior Leaders, Fairgrounds, 7 p.m.
April 20: Grand Opening of Extension Homemakers Historical Display at Putnam County Museum.
April 24: 4-H Volunteer meeting, 6:30 p.m.
April 29: Extension Homemakers' Spring Dessert recognition of new members.
May 3: Area V Performing Arts (Share the Fun) Contest, Cloverdale Middle School, 6 p.m.
May 11: 4-H Wood Science/Craft Workshop, Fairgrounds, 9 a.m.-noon.