College of Ag Hosts Educational Day for Youth

On April 29, 2011 approximately 500 kindergarten through second grade students, teachers, and parents visited the California State University, Chico University Farm to attend the annual “Ag Day” and learn about the agriculture industry.

As with many events hosted by the College of Agriculture, Ag Day is student-planned, facilitated and implemented. Aschenbrener serves as a guide for the students in her Agriculture Leadership class (AGRI 380B), which comprises the leadership team for the event.

“Ag Day being student organized illustrates the quality of students we have in the College of Agriculture and their commitment to not only the college, but the agriculture industry,” said Aschenbrener. 

The elementary school classes rotated through stations in the University Farm Pavilion, which featured different aspects of the agriculture industry. Stations were hosted by student organizations and agriculture industry representatives Bell-Carter Olives and the Butte County Cattlewomen’s Association.

Sigma Alpha, the professional agriculture sorority, hosted a station to teach kids where butter comes from and to help them make their own butter from cream. The Young Cattlemen’s Association taught the kids to rope and explained to them why ranchers use roping on the range. Alpha Gamma Rho, the agriculture fraternity, taught the kids about plants and let them take home their own tree to plant. Stockdog Association featured demonstrations of sheep herding and explained the importance of herding dogs to farmers and ranchers.

Bell Carter Olives explained to the kids the processes of olive production and where and how olives are grown. The Butte County Cattlewomen talked to the kids about branding and how it is used for identification of cattle.