Wendell Berry (1990), Kentucky novelist, poet, environmentalist, and farmer, stated that “…eating is an agricultural act” (p.1). Unfortunately, for many, there is a disconnect between the food we eat and where that food comes from. Today’s society lacks understanding regarding agricultural production and processing (Spielmaker and Leising, 2013). The Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Program strives to increase agricultural literacy among youth in Kentucky. The Agricultural Education in Secondary Schools Committee established by the National Research Council (1988) described an agriculturally literate person as one who’s “…understanding of the food and fiber system would include its history and its current economic, social, and environmental significance to all” (p. 8). The National Agriculture Literacy Logic Model defines an agriculturally literate person as one “…who understands and can communicate the source and value of agriculture as it affects our quality of life” (Spielmaker et al., 2014, p. 2). One of the key initiatives in Kentucky 4-H is to increase a young person’s awareness of the impact agriculture has on his/her daily life. 

On April 22^nd, 2022 Pulaski County 4-H hosted the first 4-H Ag Field Day for nearly 300 4^th and 5^th graders at the Pulaski County Fair Grounds.   Students from Pulaski Elementary, Shopville Elementary, Nancy Elementary and Meece Middle School participated.   There were seven stations for the students to rotate through: Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Horses, Goats, Pigs and Trees.   What was unique with this program was not only did it involve educating young students about different livestock animals, but it was also an opportunity for our current 4-H livestock members/volunteers to exhibit and provide their knowledge.   Students spent 15 minutes at each station learning about the different livestock animals.  They learned how the animals are cared for, what they eat, how they are used and that there are possibilities to show livestock animals. 

4-H Agent, Erica Spurgeon, presented rex rabbits. Youth learned about the many uses of rabbits: meat, fur, wool, pet, show animal, and fertilizer.

An evaluation was sent out for the students to complete via Qualtrics:

1. 98.71% agree or strongly agree that they have a better understanding of how livestock animals are cared for by farmers.
2. 91.12% agree or strongly agree that they have a better understanding of how livestock animals are related to my daily life (the food I eat, the clothes I wear, etc).
3. 85.78% indicated they learned something new about horses.
4. 91.45% indicated they learned something new about sheep.
5. 84.98% indicated they learned something new about cows. 
6. 88.46% indicated they learned something new about pigs.
7. 86.75% indicated they learned something new about rabbits.
8. 90.13% indicated they learned something new about goats.

These responses indicate that the Ag Field Day was a successful in teaching youth about livestock animals. 

April 22^nd was also Earth Day.  Thanks to Pulaski County Farm Bureau, we were able provide trees to all youth who attended the Ag Field Day.  Two questions were also added to the survey about trees:

1. 85.34% indicated they learned the correct way to plant a tree.
2. 73.08% indicated they would plant the tree they received from Ag Field Day. 

Our 4-H Ag Field Day was not only an opportunity to promote agriculture, but an opportunity to stress the importance of being good environmental citizens.   

Students were also asked to tell us one thing they learned from the 4-h Ag Field Day.  Below are some responses:

1. “that ham comes from pig bottoms”
2. “Not to place a tree under a power line”
3. “sheep owners have to cut off there tails before the show”
4. “How to care, and take care, of the animals that they had.”
5. “I learned that bunnys always need something to chew on like hay to help there teeth not grow to bad.”
6. “goats don't eat everything just because they want to, they actually are just really curious animals.”
7. “I learned that there are two kinds of sheep dairy sheep and meat sheep”
8. “I learned that sheep have to have a tag on their ear to be shown.”
9. “I learned that to make a sheep move you can push a spot on the bottom of the sheep to make them move”
10. “that when you leave the pig in the sun to long they can get a sun burn”
11. “I learned how to measure a horse.”
12. “I learned that cows weigh 1000+ pounds.”
13. “Horses cannot see in front of them but to the side”
14. “I learned different breads of rabbits”
    
     

It is evident that the 4^th and 5^th grade youth were able take away valuable knowledge away from their experience.  There was also a total of seven (7) current 4-H livestock members, six (6) certified livestock volunteers, three (3) Master Gardeners, six (6) FFA officers, one (1) 4-H Teen Ambassador and four (4) Pulaski County Extension Agents that helped make this program successful.   Overall, the 2022 4-H Ag Field Day was a highly successful program and will be an annual event for years to come.  

A fifth grade student holds a rex rabbit at the 2022 Pulaski 4-H Ag Field Day