A Look into the Museum of Modern Agriculture
Last summer, the WinField Crop Adventure exhibit was unveiled at Fair Oaks Farms®, a family-friendly, agrotourism destination in Fair Oaks, Indiana. The purpose of the WinField Crop Adventure is to inform people, especially those who do not have a direct connection to farming, about how modern agriculture works and the role it plays in their lives.
A lot has happened over the past year. Nearly 150,000 visitors have toured the Crop Adventure exhibit, with many more vacationing families anticipated by Labor Day weekend. This means that more people are becoming familiar with the science, agronomic practices and technological breakthroughs needed to feed the growing global population.
Interactive exhibits most popular
The Crop Adventure features different rooms representing various aspects of crop production, including the history of agriculture, the soil ecosystem, how harvested crops are transformed into various commodities and the future of agriculture.
According to Jamie Miller, attractions manager at Fair Oaks Farms®, the most popular aspect of the Crop Adventure is the “Winning in the Field” room, which explores what it takes to keep growing crops healthy, watered and safe from pests. The room includes a “Be the Crop” experience, where children can “catch” the sun’s rays and raindrops, and load “grain” made of Styrofoam into a small-scale grain elevator. “There are so many interactive exhibits, and everyone loves to learn by doing,” says Miller.
A different room, called “The Battle Underground,” is another popular spot. “We usually get a number of questions about soil differences in various areas,” says Miller. “Visitors also enjoy viewing the flip displays, which uncover everything from different seedling diseases to bugs that live in the soil.”
Advancing technology and knowledge
Most people outside of agriculture don’t realize how much technology plays a role in advancing crop production, water and land conservation, and irrigation methods. The Crop Adventure integrates a lot of technology into the mix, not only demonstrating how features like in-season imagery and infrared maps can help determine crop health or field problems, but how tools like drone technology and predictive crop modeling are helping shape the future.
Through venues such as Fair Oaks Farms® and educational opportunities such as the WinField Crop Adventure, agriculture becomes less mysterious and more people engage with our industry on an emotional level. See for yourself with a trip to the WinField Crop Adventure at Fair Oaks Farms®, learn more here.
A lot has happened over the past year. Nearly 150,000 visitors have toured the Crop Adventure exhibit, with many more vacationing families anticipated by Labor Day weekend. This means that more people are becoming familiar with the science, agronomic practices and technological breakthroughs needed to feed the growing global population.
Interactive exhibits most popular
The Crop Adventure features different rooms representing various aspects of crop production, including the history of agriculture, the soil ecosystem, how harvested crops are transformed into various commodities and the future of agriculture.
According to Jamie Miller, attractions manager at Fair Oaks Farms®, the most popular aspect of the Crop Adventure is the “Winning in the Field” room, which explores what it takes to keep growing crops healthy, watered and safe from pests. The room includes a “Be the Crop” experience, where children can “catch” the sun’s rays and raindrops, and load “grain” made of Styrofoam into a small-scale grain elevator. “There are so many interactive exhibits, and everyone loves to learn by doing,” says Miller.
A different room, called “The Battle Underground,” is another popular spot. “We usually get a number of questions about soil differences in various areas,” says Miller. “Visitors also enjoy viewing the flip displays, which uncover everything from different seedling diseases to bugs that live in the soil.”
Advancing technology and knowledge
Most people outside of agriculture don’t realize how much technology plays a role in advancing crop production, water and land conservation, and irrigation methods. The Crop Adventure integrates a lot of technology into the mix, not only demonstrating how features like in-season imagery and infrared maps can help determine crop health or field problems, but how tools like drone technology and predictive crop modeling are helping shape the future.
Through venues such as Fair Oaks Farms® and educational opportunities such as the WinField Crop Adventure, agriculture becomes less mysterious and more people engage with our industry on an emotional level. See for yourself with a trip to the WinField Crop Adventure at Fair Oaks Farms®, learn more here.
