SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio – The Ohio Farm Bureau transformed classrooms for elementary students in four southern Ohio counties by hosting agricultural events at fairgrounds, research farms and barns. The events immersed students in food production, environmental stewardship and the rural economy.

Led by Kim Harless, the Ohio Farm Bureau senior organization director for Jackson-Vinton, Pike and Scioto counties, the coordinated effort covered three regional events tailored specifically by grade level.

“We had an Adventure Day in Scioto, an Experience Day for Jackson-Vinton, and then we had an Awareness Day in Pike,’ Harless said.

Though each county event varies in name, the central goal remains the same: providing students with a focused, organized and immersive agricultural learning experience.

The programs brought together hundreds of students across the four-county area, with a specific focus on early elementary students. Students could only attend the event in their county.

Scioto County’s Ag Adventure Day welcomed roughly 450 fourth-grade students to the Scioto County Fairgrounds’ large multi-purpose building; Jackson-Vinton’s Ag Experience Day brought 500 second-grade students to the OSU Extension and OARDC research farm, and Pike County’s Ag Awareness Day hosted an estimated 325 third-grade students at the Pike County Fairgrounds.

To simultaneously manage hundreds of energetic children, Harless and her team rely on a rigid schedule to maximize students’ opportunities before the afternoon school buses arrive for dismissal.

“We have, in most of my counties, 17 to 19 stations each,” Harless said. “The schools are all split up into their groups. They go around, and they listen to every presentation. It’s like a 10-minute presentation. It’s not a free-for-all; it’s very organized. We want the kids to see everything there. They go to every station every 10 minutes, and then they have lunch.”

The logistics require precise tracking of classroom groups. “If there are 22 classes, we divide them so we don’t go over because we have to be done by 1 or 1:10 for buses,” Harless said.

The learning stations are entirely manned by grassroots community support, ranging from veteran producers to young minds. Presenters include local farmers, agricultural businesses and organizations such as Soil and Water Conservation Districts and OSU Extension.

A cornerstone of the events’ success is the heavy leadership presence of local high school FFA chapters, who take full ownership of their presentations. In Scioto County, FFA youth managed up to seven of the 19 stations.

“The presenters – some have been doing it as long as I have and have it down to a science,” Harless said. “One could be ‘Bees,’ so they talk about honey and hives. Another might be ‘Pollination,’ and they play off each other. The FFA kids determine what they want to do. Scioto has done ‘Let’s Get Popping’ where they talk about popcorn varieties and give them a taste. Almost all are very hands-on.”

The experience begins early in the morning with an opening award ceremony celebrating student creativity. Before the events, students participated in a “Design a T-Shirt” contest. The winning artwork is featured on the official event shirt, which is distributed for free to every attending student as a tangible keepsake of their day.

“Most of them will have an opening ceremony where we have a ‘Design a T-Shirt’ contest,” Harless said. “We do the awards first thing in the morning. For two of mine, they go home right after they’re done, which is around 1. For Pike, they have a closing ceremony.”

These educational events are made possible through the support of local farmers, volunteers and community partners who are passionate about agricultural literacy and youth education. The focus remains entirely on cultivating a lasting connection between local families and production agriculture.

Scioto County’s “Agriculture Adventures Day” featured ecological science and youth leadership. Local FFA chapters led interactive presentations on soil, dairy and entomology. Meanwhile, the Soil and Water Conservation District and OSU Extension addressed contemporary topics such as microplastics and seed germination. Handcrafted birdfeeders, a DIY lip balm workshop, and a vintage tractor display rounded out the students’ day.

The Jackson-Vinton Farm Bureau hosted “Agriculture Experience Day,” an event centered on hands-on interactions with a variety of farm animals. Students met chicks, alpacas and Highland cattle, while learning about swine and beef production from local farmers and FFA chapters. There were also nutrition-focused fitness sessions, conservation seedball crafting and scenic hayrides.

Pike County capped the spring event with “Agriculture Awareness Day,” spotlighting practical livestock management and consumer nutrition. Local producers gave students a close-up look at dairy, beef, sheep and equine care. Emphasizing the connection between the field and the dinner table, the OSU Extension hosted “Farm to Fork” lessons and healthy snack stations, while interactive soil conservation exhibits and traditional hayrides reinforced the importance of sustainable agriculture.

While the youth events take place in one day, Harless emphasized that the farm bureau’s focus on education and community safety continues year-round.