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Meghan O’Reilly, Milan Pozderac and Kameron Rinehart are editors of the July 15, 2019 Growing our Generation, featuring insights and ideas directly from Ohio’s young farmers and food and agricultural professionals.

Hello from the 2019 Land & Living Intern Team! I’m Meghan O’Reilly along with Kameron Rinehart and Milan Pozderac, and we are excited to be part of the new and improved Land & Living exhibit at the 2019 Ohio State Fair. We have been working hard with amazing OFBF staff and key partners to bring the Land & Living Building to life! As a team we are able to showcase our talents and hone in on our areas of interest.

I am a junior at Kent State University where I am studying visual communication design. This exhibit redesign has allowed me to strengthen my communication and design skills. Kameron has worked closely with our key partners on the implementation of many of our new activities including virtual reality farm experiences. As a future agriculture educator, Milan has had the opportunity to coordinate our ambassador program. We have hired 21 amazing ambassadors from across Ohio to help staff the exhibit.

Our team has put in countless hours to make this exhibit the best that it can be, so be sure to stop by the Nationwide Donahey Land & Living Building during your visit to the 2019 Ohio State Fair!

Exhibit tells the story of modern agriculture

by Milan Pozderac

In the newly reimagined exhibit, we hope to tell the full story of modern agriculture by creating four zones that each focus on a different area of agriculture.

The food zone displays where our food comes from through activities such as planting a seed and identifying the source of food in a grocery store.

The animal zone spotlights how farmers care for their animals. A virtual reality headset will show fairgoers what it is like in a dairy barn and live animals, including piglets, will be housed here.

Our technology zone showcases 21st-century farming and the high-tech equipment that goes into crop production. Drones, precision technology, and computer programming will all be present within this zone.

The environmental zone addresses sustainability and stewardship in modern-day farming. Activities here show management practices farmers use to preserve water quality, the benefits of biofuels and the safety of GMOs. 

These four zones work together to show the public what agriculture is today: a wide range of resources and people who truly care about our animals, the environment and those whom we impact. 

Enjoy agricultural education activities

by Kameron Rinehart

This year’s Land and Living exhibit at the Ohio State Fair will have a brand new look and many new experiences to connect fairgoers to Ohio agriculture. This highly interactive exhibit will be packed with agricultural education activities the whole family can enjoy. Visitors will see, experience and learn about caring for animals on the farm, how science and technology are helping farmers produce safe food while enhancing our environmental resources, how scientists are researching solutions to the biggest food and farming challenges, plus how young people can have careers in agriculture! 

Land and Living is made possible through the support of Ohio Farm Bureau, Nationwide, Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio Corn & Wheat, Ohio Soybean Council, American Dairy Association Mideast, and Ohio Poultry Association.

The Nationwide Donahey Land & Living Building is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the 2019 Ohio State Fair, July 24 through Aug. 4. We can’t wait to see you there! (Map)

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