Sitting crouched on the floor, second graders pretended to be a kernel of corn, waiting to grow. With a spritz of water, Jana Schwartz, Nebraska Extension 4-H youth development assistant, instructed the students to grow as she pretended to be the sun. The children began to stand with their arms in the air, reaching for the sun, like corn stalks. This interactive lesson was one of eight stations at the annual AgSplosion Field Day on April 29, at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff.
The 4-H Ag Literacy event is held across the Nebraska Panhandle each year, visiting 22 schools and educating more than 700 children on agriculture in their communities and beyond. The event is designed to engage youth in interactive sessions highlighting Nebraska’s number one industry, agriculture. With the number of farmers and ranchers shrinking to less than two percent of the U.S. population, programs like AgSplosion become crucial in showcasing how our food is grown and emphasizing the importance of agriculture to the success of our country’s health.
Nebraska Extension staff from the Panhandle come together to organize the day-long events held over six days. Many of the elementary schools in attendance also teach aspects of agriculture. “This is our fifth year here, and the day goes well with our curriculum, learning about vegetables and getting them from the farm to the table,” said Mercedes Alfaro, Westmoor Elementary second-grade teacher. “They love making the flour, grinding the wheat, and this is the first year they will take home soybeans and grow their own bean. They are really excited about that, and it helps give them a concrete understanding of abstract concepts we are learning, being able to see photosynthesis and the cycle of life in nature.”
One of the eight stations the students visited was the Ag Technology Station. Here, students learn about the changes in agriculture and how technology has evolved over time. “We then look at the scale of modern agricultural production facilities and how impossible it would be without the technology we have created to help us,” said Nathan Rice, Nebraska Extension 4-H educator. “We end the session with a relay race where teams take turns finding ag technology pieces based on hints. It’s always fun to see how proud farm kids are that their parents are in agriculture and have the pieces of equipment we are talking about.”
Other stations included the Beef Station, where students learned about beef production and byproducts; the Corn Station, where they experienced the life cycle of a plant; the Dairy Station, where they made butter and learned about dairy operations; the Swine session, which explained commercial swine operations and byproducts; the Potato lesson, where they examined the growth and development of potatoes; the Wheat Station, where they ground wheat and learned about the plant cycle; and the Bean lesson, which explored different types of beans, the importance of soybeans, and the growth of a seed.
AgSplosion was sponsored by the Nebraska Corn Board, Grandma’s Noodles, Walther Farms, Farm Bureau (Ogallala and Grant), Oshkosh Heifer Development, and Farm Bureau (Dawes, Cheyenne, Keith, Morrill, and Sheridan County Boards). The event not only educates youth about agriculture but also fosters an appreciation for the industry that feeds and fuels our nation. By engaging children in hands-on activities, AgSplosion plants the seeds for a future generation that understands and values the importance of agriculture.
