By Chabella Guzman PREEC Communications
Scottsbluff, Neb. _ The annual AgSplosion Field Day welcomed 190 second graders on Tuesday, October 14, to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. The 4-H Ag Literacy event rotated the students through eight stations to learn more about agriculture in their surrounding communities.
“We teach second graders about agriculture, specifically within the Panhandle,” said Audra Brown, Nebraska 4-H Extension Assistant. “The students learn about agricultural commodities within the Panhandle, from beans to corn, and beef to dairy cattle. They are exposed to what is being produced in agriculture right here in their backyard.”
The event was held in early October across the Nebraska Panhandle. Elementary schools from Bridgeport, Chadron, Chappell, Hemingford, Mitchell, Minatare, Morrill, and Scottsbluff participated in field days in their areas. A 4-H team was created from extension assistants in the surrounding counties. They created a schedule, contacted schools, and then came together to help staff the stations at each field day to ensure a successful event.
The stations included: beef, dairy, dry beans, potatoes, wheat, and their many products; corn, and the Nebraska Corn Board; and ag technology used by producers. The swine session, which explained commercial swine operations, was led by Brown.
“They really enjoy looking at the model swine barn - the comment I hear the most is ‘wow that's a lot of pigs in there!’ Having a physical model helps them to better understand what a farm looks like,” she said. The students were surprised to learn that pig heart valves can be used to replace damaged or diseased heart valves in humans, which function in much the same way. The students also learned about by-products that come from swine, such as chewing gum, crayons, and drumheads.
Sponsors this year included: Corn Board Grant, Morrill County Farm Bureau, Nebraska Dry Bean & Lentil Commission, Oshkosh Heifer Development (donating dairy station supplies), Scotts Bluff County Farm Bureau, and Walthers Farms (donating the potato chips).