The Lewis County Extension Service 4-H and Agriculture and Natural Resources programs conducted a Farm to Plate Program for all fifth graders in Lewis County.  Approximately 130 students participated in the program.   The program was designed to teach youth where their food comes from and was held at the Tollesboro Lions Club fairgrounds.  It was sponsored by Lewis County Farm Bureau who paid for the meals and transportation for students to attend.  Rip’s Farm Center provided ice cream for everyone and farm equipment for the youth to see.  The Kentucky Diary Development Council provided milk for everyone that attended.  RIP’s also provided employees to teach youth about beef and field crops.  

Other businesses and individuals that provide educational resources for the program were Greenup County Farm Bureau, Lewis County FFA, Ag. Pro of Flemingsburg, Rose Farm Supply, Montgomery Tractor Sales of Flemingsburg, State Fire and Rescue Training District 9,  Mike Setters, Sonia Cooper, and Diana Wilson.  Greenup County Farm Bureau provided Gerdie the Milk Cow so youth could learn about milk and where it comes from.  Ag. Pro of Flemingsburg provided a lawn mower and an employee to teach lawn mower safety.  Rose Farm Supply provided a tractor and an employee to teach youth about tractor safety, and Montgomery Tractor Sales of Flemingsburg provided a Utility Vehicle (UTV) for State Fire and Rescue Training District 9 to teach youth about UTV safety.  The Lewis County FFA program provided their Leadership Team to teach youth about lambs and goats, by-products from animals, and about dairy. Sonia Cooper brought her favorite pigs to teach the youth about the swine industry and pork products.  Program Assistant Diana Wilson taught participants about chickens and poultry products.

 The FFA officers also helped with setup, teaching, and cleanup.   Mike Setters provided his cooking skills to grill hamburgers and hotdogs for everyone that attended the program.   Setters was assisted in cooking with FFA advisor Tyler Clark in cooking hamburgers and hotdogs.  With the help of Mr. Clark and the FFA officers the task of serving about 170 meals to participants, teachers, bus drivers, presenters and others that helped with the program was accomplished in a very short time.    Teachers and participants said they had a really good time and that they liked having the program.  The program was organized by 4-H agent Sherrill Bentley and Ag. and Natural Resources agent Philip Konopka.  

At the end of the program 107  participants completed a short survey.  The results were as follows:

-94% said they had a better understanding of where their food came from

-97 % said they had a better understanding of where dairy products came from

94% agreed that animals play an important role in our food supply

92% agreed that plants play an important role in our food supply

94% of respondents said they gained knowledge on how to safely operate a lawn mower and a UTV