What’s the most effective way to get third-graders excited about agriculture? Show them exactly how fun agriculture can be. On CSU’s 17th annual Ag Adventure – coordinated by the College of Agricultural Sciences – nearly 2,000 elementary students from the Poudre School District visited the college’s Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center (ARDEC) for a fun two days of all-things-ag.
“We are so fortunate to have our students committed to engaging with the third-graders each year,” says Marshall Frasier, chair of undergraduate programs at the college. “This is their way to help future generations understand the role and importance of agriculture in their lives.”
During their visit, students learn about the impact of agriculture on their daily lives through learning experiences with soil and water, livestock and more. Other themes involved farm-to-plate, safety, and a variety of other important topics in today’s agricultural industry.
“We teach them everywhere from sheep to cattle to food safety to farm safety to soil and crops,” says Alex Heeke, CSU student and Ag Adventure committee chair. “This event is very near and dear to my heart because I’m not from an agricultural background.”
ARDEC, one of eight Agricultural Experiment Stations across Colorado operated by CSU, is designed for student and faculty research, but also for public engagement and learning opportunities. Located just four miles north of Fort Collins, ARDEC serves CSU in facilitating many different agricultural-related projects. It was founded in 1993 in order to encourage cooperation between soils, crop, and water research sciences in an integrated setting under common management. In 1999, it expanded with a second facility to create the same type of setting for Animal Sciences.
Learn more about ARDEC.
A Day at ARDEC
