Kentucky Farms Feed Me - Visit the Kentucky State Fair
This video is part of our Kentucky Farms Feed Me Virtual Field Trip Series and features an overview of Kentucky agriculture and a visit to the Kentucky State Fair. This video was created in 2011, so keep in mind that the statistical information has changed in the past several years.
To get updated information, visit http://www.kyfoodandfarm.com
MAIN IDEAS
Kentucky farms are diverse and produce a variety of crops and animals.
Local farms are important because they provide food, jobs, and income for Kentucky’s citizens.
The Kentucky State Fair is an event that allows us to learn about Kentucky farms and food in one place.
Some crops and animals are grown in specific regions of Kentucky because of landforms, water sources, and resource availability.
KENTUCKY ACADEMIC STANDARDS
SOCIAL STUDIES
Geography - 2.19 Students recognize and understand the relationship between people and geography and apply their knowledge in real-life situations.
SCIENCE
LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
EESS3.A: Natural Resources
ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life
Lessons & Resources
Lesson (PDF)
BEFORE WATCHING
Ask students is they have ever been to the Kentucky State Fair. Ask them about their favorite sights or activities. Ask if they knew that state and county fairs connected visitors to local agriculture. Why is that important?
Background Information
Agriculture-based fairs had their start in the early 1800s. Elkanah Watson, a New England patriot and farmer, earned the title, “Father of US agricultural fairs” by organizing the Berkshire Agricultural Society and creating an event (known then as a Cattle Show) in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in September 1811. It was more than just an exhibit of animals – it was a competition, with prize money ($70) paid for the best exhibits of oxen, cattle, swine and sheep.
Watson worked diligently for many years helping communities organize their own agricultural societies and their respective shows (fairs). By 1819 most counties in New England had organized their own agricultural societies and the movement was spreading into the other states. The nineteenth century closed with almost every state and province having one or more agricultural fair or exhibition.
The core elements of those agricultural society events of the early 1800s - those early fairs – are at the heart of the agricultural fair in North America today. Competition for the best agricultural and domestic products of the county and/or community (or region or state), an annual celebrate for the community to come together, to share, to learn.
Today, over 3,200 fairs are held in North America each year. They provide industrial exhibits, demonstrations and competition aimed at the advancement of livestock, horticulture and agriculture with special emphasis placed on educational activities such as 4-H, FFA and similar youth development programs. While enjoying these high-minded pursuits, fair visitors are also able to see, hear, touch, smell and taste the richness and variety of what the world has to offer.
Source: International Association of Fairs & Expositions
WHILE WATCHING THE VIDEO
Have students write the answers to the following questions while they watch the video, or have younger students complete the worksheet below:
Name one crop and one animal our Kentucky farmers raise.
Name 3 farm products you can find at the Kentucky State Fair.
AFTER WATCHING THE VIDEO, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES
Option 1: Linking Farm to Table
Grade Level(s): K-6
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Purpose:
Students will identify the origins of food products and clothing from the farm.
Students will identify which food products require processing prior to consumption.
Materials:
“Where Does That Product Come From?” Activity Sheet (Versions for K/1 and 2/3)
Optional Materials:
BOOK - How Did That Get in My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth
“Linking Farm to Table” Activity - Download the Game: Linking Farm to Table
Background Information:
All the food we eat and many other products such as clothing and household items can be traced back to the farm or nature. Plant crops use energy from the sun to produce food, which humans and animals can utilize for energy. This is called energy transfer. Farms and farmers are an important part of our ecosystem as fewer humans tend food crops and animals for their own use.
Procedure:
Have students complete one of the “Where Does That Product Come From?” activity sheets to test their knowledge of food origins. This may also be used as an assessment activity if you have the Linking Farm to Table activity game.
If you have the “Linking Farm to Table” activity game, follow those lesson instructions. The book How Did That Get in My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth is also a great companion resource.
Option 2: Agriculture Where I Live
Grade Level(s): 3-8
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Purpose:
Students will identify their home county and the agriculture that can be found there.
Students will understand factors that affect agriculture production in their county.
Materials:
“Ag Data by County” at www.kyfoodandfarm.com.
Optional Materials:
BOOK: The Most Wonderful Dream by Mitchell Tolle
LESSON: My Kentucky Home Provides What I Need
VIDEO: Kentucky Agriculture: Our Farms, Our Food, Our Future
Background Information:
Every Kentucky county has some form of agriculture production. The number and size of farms, however, are dependent upon topography, natural resource availability, population, and access to markets. Cattle are most concentrated in central Kentucky due to our rolling, green pastures found there. Grain crops, poultry, and hogs are more concentrated in western Kentucky; grain crop production is most economical in large areas of flat land and livestock that eat those grains are typically located near their food source. Larger fruit and vegetable farms tend to be closer to areas with larger populations. There is less agriculture production in eastern Kentucky due to steeper hills and mountains, larger forested areas, and focus on other natural resources. Opportunities are growing, however, for smaller farms to cater to local customers interested in knowing who produces their food.
Procedures:
Visit www.kyfoodandfarm.com and click on the “Ag Data by County” tab in the top menu. Click on the county in which your students live and review the data and rankings on a Smart Board or screen.
Then have students complete the “Agriculture Where I Live” Activity Sheet (link above).