By Scout Nelson
Franklin County Farm Bureau in Kansas continues to promote agricultural education through a successful summer camp program for young students. The initiative introduces children to farming and food production through hands-on learning experiences, farm visits, and educational demonstrations.
Through a partnership with a local summer camp, the organization engages 80 children between the ages of 5 and 11. The program includes weekly agriculture education sessions that run for about 90 minutes each. These lessons take place across a 10-week camp season and focus on helping students understand how agriculture works in their everyday lives.
Campers participate in interactive lessons covering topics such as water use, bee pollination, and floriculture. The program also includes demonstrations that allow children to see agriculture in action. Some of the activities include corn variety demonstrations and pedal pull demonstrations. In one session, campers create corn germination necklaces to learn how seeds grow.
Field trips are an important part of the program. Students visit several agricultural locations in the county, including a local cooperative, a popcorn farm, an equipment dealership, a hoop house farm, a pumpkin farm, and livestock barns at the county fairgrounds. These visits allow students to meet farmers and learn about different parts of agriculture.
Each session concludes with a short review and an informal quiz to reinforce what the campers have learned. The camp provides transportation, staff, and support for the activities, while Franklin County Farm Bureau organizes the agricultural tours and demonstrations.
Local farmers and agribusiness owners help lead the program by hosting tours and explaining their work. County Farm Bureau board members and agricultural ambassadors also assist with the activities. In addition, FFA and 4-H members serve as guides and help connect the camp with farmers and ranchers.
The program helps children build curiosity and appreciation for agriculture beyond what they learn during school lessons. It also strengthens relationships between the Farm Bureau, farmers, agribusinesses, and community organizations.
The program has produced several positive results. Participation in the county pedal pull event increased by 40% after campers were introduced to the activity, and many students later competed at the state fair. The Farm Bureau also gained more than 100 new followers on social media after sharing photos of the camp activities.
The Summer Ag Education Series received national recognition with a County Activities of Excellence Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Franklin County Farm Bureau was one of 25 counties invited to present its program at the 2026 AFBF Convention trade show in Anaheim, California.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-steve-baccon
Categories: Kansas, Education