Kentucky Schools Celebrate Hands-On Ag Education Week

By Blake Jackson

During All in for Agriculture Education Week, Sept. 15-19, Kentucky schoolyards transformed into hands-on farm classrooms, welcoming thousands of students and community members.

The initiative, a collaboration between Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, and Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher, was amplified by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Local Extension offices across Kentucky engaged students with practical experiences that highlighted the land, animals, and technologies behind food production and the state’s economy. Extension plays a key role in translating UK’s agricultural expertise into actionable knowledge for local communities.

“Agriculture education works best when it’s hands-on, and that’s exactly what Kentuckians experienced during Ag Education Week,” said Shell. “Our partnership with county Extension offices makes it possible to connect students and communities with real-life lessons about farming, food and the people who make agriculture thrive in Kentucky.”

In Mercer County, Extension agent Linda McClanahan aligned FarmSCool Week with the statewide celebration. Now in its 17th year, FarmSCool introduces elementary students to agriculture through events like Ag Exploration Day and Farmin’ on the Playground, where pre-K to second-grade students rotated through stations featuring animals, crops, machinery, and local farm experts.

“We’re not just teaching - we’re planting seeds of curiosity,” said McClanahan.

Daviess County expanded its programming into a four-day district-wide experience, reaching all 5,000 students at Owensboro Public Schools.

Students explored topics from equine nutrition to drone technology, with partners including Cargill, Hayden Farms, OCTC, and Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market. At Foust Elementary, students enjoyed ice cream from Prairie Farms and visited the Southland Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy Classroom.

“I like how the cow wanted to be milked, because he explained that sometimes a cow can hold their milk,” said second-grade student Bella Burgos.

“The agriculture week programs brought vibrant, hands-on learning opportunities into Owensboro Public Schools - experiences that opened students’ eyes to a side of agriculture many had never experienced,” said Alicia Storm, director of instruction.

Burks-McCarthy added, “We’re planting seeds - literally and figuratively. We want students to understand where their food comes from and see themselves in these careers.”

Photo Credit: gettyimages-steve-baccon