The last 11 days on the Summer Ag Tour of 2019 have been such an
enlightening experience for all that attended. There were so many amazing
experiences, from meeting with Certified Angus Beef to seeing Niagara Falls to
visiting the supplier of Plant City Strawberries in Canada. I was able to watch
as students not only learned but saw the connections of the agriculture
industry. We have all heard about the flooding in Ohio on the news, but our
students saw it first hand and heard from every aspect of industry, from
soybean and corn producers to trout hatcheries to dairy farms and everyone in
between; they all talked about the weather and the impacts it was having on
their way of life. Our students have discussed and commented about the flooding
and the impact it has made. We saw a lot corn in Ohio that was barely up to
maybe 6” high. The farmers told us it was behind and they had fields that would
not even be able to be planted. As we traveled to drier ground, we saw corn
that was 2 to 4 feet high. It was then that students really begin to see and
comprehend just how behind those in the flooded areas were behind. When we came
back to Ohio to leave, we found out it had rained another 6” while we were
gone, impacting their hay production now. This trip allowed these students to
get a real grasp on this current situation and the implications it will have on
corn and hay prices this fall.
One of my favorite moments of the trip was
listening as all the students went “Awhhh” as they walked into the mushroom-growing
room. The 6 levels of mushrooms in the 60 degree room was breath taking. More
than any of us ever imagined. None of us had ever seen mushrooms in production
before and we were all amazed as we learned about them. Several students
commented, why would you pick strawberries outside in Plant City in the heat if
you could pick mushrooms in 60 degree weather year round.
I also enjoyed listening to students talk in the
vans as we traveled from one location to the next about the job opportunities and
all the different careers available to them in agriculture. One student even
said there are a lot more things to do than just animals. There is so much more
to our industry than just livestock and this trip exposes them to hundreds of
different jobs and the chance to meet and visit with at least 40 different
individuals about their career.
The students on this tour learned more in eleven
days than I can teach in 180 one hour blocks. They were able to see and hear
about so many aspects of the industry as well as view scenery and farmland that
was absolutely gorgeous. It was an amazing experience that expanded my
knowledge as well as all the students about agriculture. I would also like to
take a moment to thank Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton for all the time they put in to
planning and organizing this trip. As an ag teacher, I know the long hours
above and beyond that they put in and planning this trip adds even more. I am
so grateful that they go the extra mile to make this learning opportunity
possible. They have done more for each of these students and chaperones than
they will ever know. Having the opportunity to chaperone allows more than just
the students the opportunity to learn and grow their agriculture knowledge.
These have been an amazing eleven days that I hate to see come to an end, but I
can’t wait to share the knowledge I gained with my students in the fall.
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