The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab made a stop at Tyrone Area Elementary School to teach students about different aspects of agriculture.

Tyrone FFA members assisted with the labs, working with elementary students from first to fourth grades. 

“The Mobile Ag Lab is one of my favorites out of the many events we do at Tyrone Area FFA. Working with the kids and teaching them about the organization and agriculture is always fun for both the members and students,” said Chapter Sentinel Colin Jackson.

The lab travels around Pennsylvania to provide students with hands-on experiments pertaining to agriculture. The experiments vary from environmental to biotechnology to food science and more. 

Each class in the elementary school had a 50 minute period in the Mobile Ag Lab. The experiments for first and second grade are the same, while the third and fourth grade have a slightly more involved experiment. 

The experiment for the younger students was called “Tops and Bottoms.” Students learned that growing plants don’t always have a distinct top or bottom. Some grow from the middle as well. Examples of middle plants are corn, peppers, and tomatoes. The students picked seeds of a middle plant and kept them in a bag with soil. This bag got a string attached and became a necklace that students hung around their neck until they got home and could plant the seeds.

“I enjoyed helping with the lab just as much as the kids participating did,” said first-year member Justin Jackson. 

The second experiment for the older grades was called “No Soil? Now What?”  In this lesson the students discussed the ideas of growing crops without soil using techniques like hydroponics. The students worked in groups of two to create their own hydroponic system using a plastic cup and Rockwool (a type of growing medium). These systems got pea seeds planted in them and were taken back to the classroom for growth monitoring.

Overall, the FFA members who participated in helping with the Mobile Ag Lab greatly enjoyed it, especially the first-year members who never got to experience this before.

“The Mobile Ag Lab was an eye-opening experience for me and it was an amazing opportunity. It helped me learn more about FFA and the different opportunities it can offer to me in school, but what it can lead to in life,” said first-year member Rayann Walls.