Blue skies, warmer temperatures, fluffy white clouds—it’s spring, and time for farmers to plant! The Ohio Soybean Council made it possible for students to share in the experience through a virtual field trip. Students had the opportunity to hear from a farmer about his work and to ask questions.
Two tours were offered, one for elementary students and another for middle school/high school students. Topics included plant development, how a planter works, soil types, variable rate planting, technology, no-till planting, transportation and use of soybeans, being good stewards of the environment, and more.
Ohio Soybean Council board member and farmer Nathan Eckel in Perrysburg hosted the elementary tour; and farmer Scott Metzger, OSC board member and president of the Ohio Soybean Association, hosted the middle/high school tour from south central Ohio.
Students were able to submit questions during the tour. These included:
- “How long does it take from the time you plant until harvest?” (roughly four months)
- “How tall does the plant get?” (depends on variety; about 36 to 42 inches tall)
- “Why do you need to plant in straight lines?” (more efficient that way)
- “How do you decide what kind of soybean seeds to plant?” (the latest genetics possible provide the best yield potential and weed control)
“What do you like most about farming?” (watching the seeds grow into plants, working with my family)
Each Ohio elementary classroom that signed up for the virtual field trip received a copy of the Usborne book “It All Starts With a Seed” and a kit to create soybean seed necklaces.
These virtual field trips are available on the GrowNextGen YouTube channel, so they can be accessed at any time. These virtual field trips aren’t just for Ohio students—a class in Alaska viewed this planting tour!
Your students can learn more about smart farming and the decisions that farmers have to make with this lesson. Watch our website and newsletter for information about the fall harvest virtual field trips!
