Chico State Students Educate About Agriculture at the Silver Dollar Fair

Twenty-one College of Agriculture students spent their first week of summer break educating the public about agriculture at the Silver Dollar Fair in Chico. Coordinated by senior agricultural education and animal science major Taylor Lacey, students facilitated “Farmer for a Day” school tours, staffed the Ag-Zibit building, and managed the Farm Babies exhibit.

Over the course of three days, the fair welcomed over 1,000 elementary school students to participate in activities during the Farmer for a Day event. Chico State students designed and facilitated six activities geared toward educating youth on agricultural production including pollination, harvesting crops, caring for livestock, and dairy products.

During the fair hours, students staffed the Ag-Zibit building where they showcased different facets of the agriculture through engaging activities and by sharing their knowledge. The building included almond and walnut trees, a chicken coop, roping area, and tractor race track.

Meanwhile, steps away in the livestock pavilion, the Farm Babies exhibit included eight livestock species with their progeny to help educate the public on animal agriculture.

“Having the opportunity to coordinate such purposeful exhibits was such a rewarding experience for me,” Lacey said. “Our goal was to open the public’s eyes to agriculture and share our perspectives, and I believe we did just that.”

Sophomore Brianne Shannon described the experience as a valuable experience to guide her into her future career as an agricultural educator.

“My favorite part of the experience was putting on school tours to educate younger children about agriculture and get them excited and engaged. It was a truly wonderful experience, and I hope to be a part of it again in future years,” Shannon said.