From the Field: Behind the Scenes of FARMtastic

Looking in from the outside, FARMtastic appears to function like a well-oiled machine. Delighted children move in a choreographed dance from station to station to learn where their food, fiber and fuel comes from.

A young child squeezes the mechanical cow’s teat that simulates an udder to demonstrate the milking process. — A young FARMtastic visitor enjoys “milking” the demonstration cow. Photo credit: Kevin Hudson

No, chocolate milk does not come from brown cows. Sheep produce wool, not cotton. And yes, that delicious honey we love is produced by bees, whose stings we hate.

A male African American Extension agent teaches a young African American male FARMtastic visitor how to properly hold a lasso. — Cowboy skills, such as using ropes and lassoes, are important on the farm and require a lot of practice! Photo credit: Kevin Hudson

While this hands-on experience seems magical, it requires more than a wave of a wand to create. In fact, each FARMtastic event, while coordinated and hosted by the MSU Extension Service and supported by several sponsors, relies on a small army of community partners and volunteers to function.

Elementary-age students wearing school uniforms gather around the soil tunnel truck to learn about the importance of soil before walking through the tunnel that gives them a look at what goes on underground. — Students gather around the soil tunnel truck to learn about the importance of soil before walking through the tunnel that gives them a look at what goes on underground. Photo credit: Kevin Hudson

One recent example is the fall FARMtastic event held in Amite County. MSU Extension agent Amy Walsh recruited a variety of local organizations, businesses, and student groups to help set up and take down the stations featuring different Mississippi commodities: Barnyard Bonanza, Mighty Crops, Wonder Plants, Something Fishy, Enchanted Forest, FARM Toys, and the FARMvillage.

More than 100 volunteers – at least 25 a day for the 4-day event – hosted 1,157 visitors from six counties!

In addition to school and homeschool groups, Wednesday night was open to the public and 124 people attended.

Volunteers included 4-Hers and 4-H volunteers, Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers, FFA chapters, Master Gardener groups, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Farm Bureau, Soil and Water Conservation District, Southwest Mississippi Beekeepers Association, Mississippi Forestry Commission, Forest Service Agency, Amite County Co-Op, Tractor Supply, Southern Ag Credit, and Hospice Compassus. Local farmers provided hay and live animals.

Elementary-age Caucasian girl holds a plastic jar of soy-based paint stripper at a FARMtastic booth. — A student learns about the many uses of soybeans, including paint stripper. Photo credit: Kevin Hudson

“Each year we do FARMtastic we look for outreach projects that we can do in our community,” Walsh said. “In the past we have had the nursing home bring residents to go through the exhibit. This year we visited Personal Care Pediatric Center for special needs children and invited the kids to have the hands-on FARMtastic experience. These outreach programs require us to think outside of the box to give the best experience possible for these special groups. FARMtastic has been a great marketing tool for us to promote 4-H and Extension throughout southwest Mississippi.”

Thanks, everyone! Extension couldn’t do it without you!

If you are interested in scheduling a FARMtastic event in your community, call your county Extension office, and brainstorm a list of volunteers you can recruit to help.

Posted on: December 8, 2017