By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Students and teachers learned all about food and farmers through Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Doorways to Agriculture exhibit at the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo.

Local schools visited the exhibit during the 10-day stretch of the fair.

“It’s important to expose students to agricultural concepts,” Arid Enriquez, a dual language kindergarten teacher at Lake Air Montessori, said. “It helps them see they can grow things and know exactly where things come from.”

Field trips to the fair and a tour through Doorways to Agriculture help students make connections to what they’re learning in the classroom and how agriculture is tied to the items and products they use every day.

The exhibit includes games, videos, demonstrations and presentations that highlights modern agriculture.

Touchscreen kiosks, oversized interactive “books” and a theater showcasing videos of farmers and ranchers are part of the exhibit.

A miniature cotton gin was used to help teach students about cotton and how the fiber is processed.

“Field trips like this help kids make connections. It’s so exciting, seeing the live animals and getting exposed to all these cool things,” Enriquez said. “They are learning a lot of the foundations of agriculture. They are making those connections, and they love to see where things come from.”

Doorways to Agriculture helps visitors of all ages connect with farmers and learn fun and interesting facts through the various activities.

“It gets the students more excited and fascinated with animals and agriculture. They are more excited about talking about food,” said Enriquez. “It expands their way of seeing the world. It is really neat to see them open their eyes and understand agriculture.”

The exhibit will be on display at the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo until Oct. 13 and the State Fair of Texas in Dallas through Oct. 20.

It will be on display at the Brazos Valley Fair and Rodeo in Bryan Oct. 18-20.

Learn more about Doorways to Agriculture at texasfarmbureau.org/youth/ag-in-the-community.

Doorways to Agriculture teaches students about food, farming Students and teachers learned all about food and farmers through Texas Farm Bureau’s Doorways to Agriculture exhibit at the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo.