A young visitor to the College of AGNR Open House gets up close and personal with some chicks.
Image Credit: Edwin Remsberg
Where can you take a hayride, watch a chick hatch, feel inside a cow’s stomach, get gardening questions answered, pet a snake, pick a pumpkin, eat delicious food and get nutritious recipes all in one place and for FREE?? At the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) Open House, of course!
More than 2,600 people took advantage of this fun-filled day on the farm Saturday, October 6 at the College of AGNR’s research facility in Clarksville. “This is one of the most important days of the year for our College,” said Cheng-i Wei, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “This is our chance to shine and showcase our wonderful programs.”
People flocked to the Howard County farm from all over the state to enjoy the multitude of interactive, family-friendly and educational activities faculty and staff with the College of AGNR have been working hard to put together over the last several months:
*Kids of all ages either embarked on a scavenger hunt searching for answers to specific questions or a journey to have their passport punched at different stations and won prizes for their efforts.
*Experts manning the table for University of Maryland Extension’s (UME) Home and Garden Information Center fielded questions on everything from stink bugs to sweet potatoes.
*The University of Maryland dairy cows served as one of the day’s main attractions, as did the free samples of chocolate milk.
*The brothers of Alpha Gamma Rho, UMD’s agriculture fraternity, served up burgers, hot dogs, French fries and other tasty treats to a steady stream of customers.
It was an event that truly offered something for everyone. For instance, Laura Hawk of Baltimore brought her four children to the open house for the first time this year. Hawk’s oldest son Ross, 12, said his favorite part of the day was checking out the popcorn volcano provided by the Department of Environmental Science and Technology. However, his 9-year-old brother Peter didn’t like the popcorn exhibit as much because his braces prevented him from eating any, and instead preferred the robotics demonstration. Meanwhile, Iona, 8, and Sarah, 4, both ranked decorating their very own pumpkins to take home at the top of their lists.
“We’ll definitely try to come back next year,” Hawk said.
Apart from treating visitors to day of entertainment, the yearly open house provides an opportunity to highlight the variety of programs and services offered through the College of AGNR. The crisp autumn weather and picturesque farm served as the perfect backdrop.
“This is a great time in Maryland,” said Bryan Butler, an agricultural and natural resources Extension educator. “If anyone’s ever going to want to explore Maryland agriculture and taste and find out what it’s all about, it’s in the Fall.”
Check out the photo gallery for the 2012 College of AGNR Open House here.
For more information, contact Sara Gavin at 301-405-9235 or sgavin@umd.edu.
