Yesterday, I attended the 70th Annual Sioux Empire Fair in Sioux Falls, S.D. While there, I stopped at the infamous Old MacDonald’s Farm, the destination for urban kids to come learn about farm life. I had a minute to chat with FFA member Gabrielle Emmett about her experiences in working at the barn. Here is what she had to say…

“Through FFA and the Old MacDonald’s Farm project, I have been able to work alongside some great people while growing as an individual,” said Emmett, who is also active in cross country, National Honor Society, National Forensics League and Floriculture and Agriculture Issues in FFA. “Old MacDonald’s farm is a lot of work, especially setting up, lining up animals and cleaning up afterwards, but I think it’s a clean, well-organized, safe environment for kids to learn about farms and ranches.”

At each station of the barn hung different agriculture facts for young people to read as they viewed the farm animals. Did you know that there are 3,700,000 cattle in South Dakota compared to 750,000 people? Did you know that a dairy cow producers 200,000 cups of milk in her lifetime? These are a few examples of the educational tidbits included in the display. For Emmett, the best part of the day is watching the kids interact with the animals.

“The little kids really enjoy visiting the Old MacDonald’s farm at the fair,” said Emmett. “It’s really rewarding to watch kids look at big farm animals for the very first time. It seems like the parents really enjoy the display, as well. It’s really an eye opener to realize that this is the only exposure some people have to the agriculture industry, and we are happy to provide that opportunity to the community.”