Technology will be highlighted at the 21st annual “A Taste of Agriculture in Kosciusko County” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. April 9 at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds.
Featured at the event, themed “A Family Affair,” will be the Purdue University Unmanned Aerial Vehicle trailer to show how drones are used in production agriculture and everyday life to make decisions. Flying demonstrations will be provided by Purdue Extension educators with drones during the Taste of Ag.
Rowdy the Robot, from Edgewood Middle School, also will be at the event. Rowdy is a Nao humanoid robot that was purchased with a Dekko grant for the school.
In March 2018, two Edgewood students, Milana Whitaker and Owen Stevens, had the opportunity to have Rowdy perform in the Wild West Show at Michiana Event Center. Whitaker and Stevens programmed Rowdy to turn and stop the pony in the arena. Rowdy may be the first humanoid robot in the world to perform this feat.
Last fall, Rowdy performed again at the center by riding a pony and throwing a rose at his true love’s feet.
Rowdy will be featured with Bo the pony at the Taste of Ag. Participants will have the opportunity to take a picture with Rowdy and his pony.
Edgewood students involved in the display will be Mia Blocher, Angie Sarabia, Molly Kissling and Whitaker, along with teacher Abbi Richcreek.
There will be $1,500 in grocery gift certificates and over $1,000 in other door prizes given away. This includes product or gift certificates for locally produced items such as soy candles, beef, pork, dairy, duck and T-shirts will be included in the celebration.
The coloring contest for children returns. Full contest rules and entry forms are available at the Extension Office, its Facebook page or on its website.
A light supper will be served, and participants will have the opportunity to taste ice cream, cheese, various pork products, duck, popcorn, beef, eggs, goat cheese, salsa and chips, and more.
The children’s activity corner is back by popular demand. Bring a camera to take pictures at the display boards while meeting Corny Corn and the “Whole Gang.” Face painting, balloons and more are being added for the kids.
Wawasee FFA is hosting a pedal pull for the kids. Registration starts at 5 p.m. for children ages 5 to 10. Prizes will be awarded for the top finishers in each age division. The pedal pull will be held in the Show Arena at 5:30 p.m.
Also on display will be over 20 different booths representing agriculture in the county. Booths participating include beef, dairy, swine, ducks, chickens, crops, soil and water quality, farm machinery, 4-H, Master Gardeners, goats, rabbits, FFA, horses, The Old Farmhouse, Farm Service Agency and Farm Bureau.
Families can again work together on a scavenger hunt to find answers to questions relating to agriculture. Children who participate will receive a prize.
The goal of the evening program is to provide an interactive educational opportunity for both youth and adults to learn about agriculture in Kosciusko County. For those booths that do not produce a food commodity, they will have an activity to participate in or animals to visit.
The event is free to the public and is sponsored by the Kosciusko County Agriculture Awareness Committee, Extension Office, Farm Bureau, County Community Foundation, Cargill Animal Nutrition and Farm Credit Mid America and supported by the Kosciusko County Community Fair.
For more information, contact the Purdue Extension Kosciusko County Office at 574-372-2340 or visit its website at www.extension.purdue.edu/kosciusko or on Facebook under Kosciusko County Ag Awareness.
