EKU Agriculture & Horticulture Students Host Farm Field Day

Students from the EKU Agriculture and Horticulture departments hosted the 2016 High School Farm Field Day on Thursday, September 29^th.  The event took place at EKU Meadowbrook Farm, where high school students traveled from surrounding counties to see all that EKU’s Ag programs have to offer.  Approximately 200 students from Powell County, Jackson County, Madison Southern, South Laurel, Lynn Camp, Knox Central, and Estill County took part in Farm Field Day. 

All 200 students enjoyed a hayride tour of Meadowbrook farm, where Ag and Horticulture students headed each stop on the tour.  Included in the tour were the following stations:

• Dairy, led by Kayla Proctor, a Senior Animal Science Major
• Hogs, led by Sydney Kleinert, a Senior Agribusiness Management Major
• Beef, led by Trevor Radcliff, a Senior Animal Science Major
• Sheep, led by Ted Herr, a Senior Animal Science & Agronomy, Soils, and Natural Resources Major
• Horticulture, led by Bobby Cavasos, a Senior Agribusiness Management Major

In addition to the farm tour, the high school students took part in the Ag Olympic Games, led by the following students:

• Brooke Darnell, a Senior Agricultural Education Major
• Tiffany Bowling, a Senior Pre-Vet Major
• Alyssa Paulo, a Senior Pre-Vet Major
• Bethany McKinney, A Senior Agribusiness Management Major
• Zach Poynter, a Senior Pre-Vet Major
• Will Muncy, a Senior Agribusiness Management Major
• Jessica Eggers, a Senior Animal Science Major
• Monica Engle, a Senior Animal Science Major

The Ag Olympic Games included a hay bale train, ag charades, wheel barrow races, tarp turn over, jumping through hoops, and egg gathering.

The students also participated in the Horticulture Olympic Games, led by the following Horticulture students:

• Jacob Katzman, a Senior Greenhouse Major
• Austin Martin, a Senior Landscape & Nursery Major
• Molly McKinney, a Senior Landscape & Nursery Major
• Christina Newton, a Junior Greenhouse Major
• Will Rogers, a Senior Turf Management Major
• Hunter Rowe, a Sophomore Turf Management Major
• Keaton Smith, a Sophomore Landscape & Nursery Major
• Jacob Walson, a Senior Landscape & Nursery Major
• Matt Goode, a Senior Turf Management Major
• Taylor Anderson, a Junior Professional Golf Management Major
• Phil Nelson, a Junior Professional Golf Management Major
• Joel Hardesty, a Junior Turf Management Major

The Horticulture games included Horticulture Feud (a Family Feud style game show), Hanging Balloon Greenhouses, Golf Chipping relay, and Introduction to FootGolf. 

Following the field day games and the hay ride, EKU Department of Agriculture provided a pizza lunch for all students and advisors attending.  The high schoolers were seated based on their area of interest so they could ask questions and visit with current students in each of the degree concentration areas.  Students were given folders with information about the department, admission, and degree concentration requirements.  Wesley Gift from admissions spoke about what is needed to apply. 

Student representatives from department clubs set up booths around the perimeter of the tent.  Club members prepared displays with photos highlighting club activities and events.

The high schoolers entered some basic information on iPads that were available and over 15 T-shirts donated by the Ag Club were handed out as door prizes. 

The event wrapped up with the keynote speaker, Mr. Warren Beeler, Director of Ag Policy and Director of Animal Marketing division for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.  Mr. Beeler is well-known across that state for his involvement and promotion of youth development and production agriculture.

The event was very successful, with many of the high schoolers expressing interest in the Ag and Horticulture programs, and the hard work of the students who ran the event did not go unnoticed. 

Photo Gallery...

For more information about the Agriculture and Horticulture programs can be found at http://agriculture.eku.edu/degree-programs.

Agriculture Degree Concentrations:

• Agribusiness Management
• Agriculture Energy Systems Management
• Agronomy, Soils, and Natural Resources
• Animal Science
• Agriculture Education
• Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Horticulture Degree Concentrations:

• Agribusiness Management
• Fruit and Vegetable Production
• Landscape and Nursery
• Turfgrass Management

Published on September 29, 2016