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Most students don’t realize just how many careers in agriculture there are. ExploreAg camp is all about exposing students to each and every part of the industry that feeds, clothes and fuels the world. Being a part of camp staff this year, I have seen firsthand the impact that camp has. I have seen campers break out of their shell– ask questions, engage in the activities, and realize they might have a future career in something they had never considered before. To me, the most rewarding part of camp has been seeing those who have only ever been exposed to one side of agriculture, light up as they learn about other parts of the industry. 

Controlled Agriculture Research Complex, Student Farm, and Garden of Hope. Campers took a tour of the facility, learned about how the height of ground can impact crop growth, played an interactive game, and so much more. Throughout the rest of the day, we ventured to places like the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, and Bane-Welker,  an agricultural and construction equipment company. At Bane Welker, a few of the boys in the group were highly interested in their internship program. They asked all sorts of questions and it was rewarding to see these campers taking an early step to learn about internship opportunities for their future. 

The next day, we visited OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Meat Science Lab, and their Ag Engineering Department. From an interactive game about disease transmission to cooking pork patties, and even getting to operate a skid steer, this day was packed with hands-on experiences! Most of the campers had never operated a skid steer, and it was so fun to watch them carefully stack cones and then try to remove them without knocking any over. Following those activities, we heard from the Ohio State Bar Association and Ohio Pork Council. Finally, we ended the day with a professional development session, which I led. Campers got to learn about different leadership styles, and figure out what their personal leadership style was. After that we played an interactive game, putting those styles to the test. The game featured a “Minefield” and campers had to guide their blindfolded partner through it without hitting any of the mines or touching the person who was blindfolded. The campers had a blast doing this, and even tried to have multiple people going through the minefield at the same time which made for a fun challenge!

On our fourth day, we visited Freshwater Farms, Ohio’s largest indoor fish hatchery. Along with touring the impressive facility, campers had the opportunity to hold salamanders and turtles—and even get up close to pet sturgeons! We then toured Heritage Cooperative, and got to learn all about the career opportunities and how they run their facility. After lunch, we watched a drone demonstration at Burns Beef, which most campers had never seen before. We wrapped up the day hearing from the Ohio Poultry Association, and combined with the 4-H camp, “Spark” to do a Food Challenge Activity. 

Finally, to wrap up our tours for the week, we spent the entire day with the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association. We started off the day at Winners Circle Training Center, where campers participated in a scavenger hunt for different tack and equipment around the barns. They got to bathe horses, and then watched how the owners train their horses in preparation for the races. As if we just couldn’t get enough of the horses already, we ventured out to Midland Acres to tour their facility and see their horses. We finished out our day with a visit to Scioto Downs where we got to see the area where the race horses are kept, and watch some of the races. I have to say, one of the biggest highlights of this stop was seeing one of our campers get interviewed at Scioto Downs about their experience at ExploreAg. On top of that, the campers got to ride in the starting truck at the beginning of the races, which is such a once in a lifetime opportunity that made the evening even more memorable.

On graduation day, I watched so many campers break out of their shell to network with industry professionals. The growth they had made in just one week was incredible to see. Two campers even got up to speak at the ceremony and share their experiences. Watching them reflect on everything they’d learned and the connections they’d made was such an important moment, and it reminded me just how impactful ExploreAg is.

Reflecting back on the week has shown me that ExploreAg isn’t just a regular camp. It is about opening doors to the next generation, and inspiring them to consider a career in the industry. No matter what their background is, there is always a spot for them in agriculture, and ExploreAg proves that. Being a part of camp staff has left me feeling grateful to play a small role in their journey, because this one week might just be the first step toward a lifelong career they may have never imagined without ExploreAg.

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