“My grandfather used to say that once in your life, you need a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, and a preacher—but every day, three times a day, you need a farmer.” — Brenda Schoepp

In Christian County, 69% of the population resides in urban areas (Kentucky State Data Center, 2010), meaning many youth have little to no experience with agriculture. Most first-grade students in the county have never visited a farm or interacted with farm animals, leaving a gap in their understanding of where food comes from and the essential role agriculture plays in their daily lives. To address this need, Christian County 4-H has hosted Farm Day annually since 1985. In 2018, the program was revamped to focus more intentionally on agricultural literacy, nutrition education, and community awareness. This year’s event took place in person on March 26 and 27, 2025, and was once again a collaborative effort among Christian County 4-H, Christian County Public Schools, local farmers, FFA members, and Extension volunteers.

The two-day event provided 625 first-grade students with hands-on learning experiences that brought agriculture to life. Participants rotated through educational stations where they learned about farm animals, crops, farm equipment, and the products and services each provides. At each stop, group leaders collected items that symbolized what was learned at that station. The experience concluded at a “Farmer’s Market” station, where students explored healthy eating habits through interactive games and lessons from the LEAP curriculum and MyPlate. The event served students from all eight public elementary schools, local private schools, and homeschool groups, and was supported by more than 100 teachers, volunteers, and community partners.

To evaluate the program’s impact, each student was given a worksheet to complete following the event, asking them to share their favorite part of Farm Day, something they learned, and to draw a picture. The responses clearly reflected the event’s success. Ninety-eight percent of students were able to name at least one new fact they had learned—ranging from “pigs can’t sweat” to how tractors work and what chickens eat. More than 90% of students correctly identified a food product or service related to an animal or crop. Teachers reported that the event increased classroom engagement in follow-up discussions about food sources, nutrition, and agriculture. One teacher noted, “Students enjoyed seeing and learning about new things. A lot of the students have never been to a farm or seen farm animals in person.”

Thanks to strong community partnerships and thoughtful program design, Farm Day 2025 successfully planted seeds of agricultural awareness in hundreds of young learners—helping them build a lasting appreciation for the farmers and food systems that sustain them every single day.