Farm Day in the City is an opportunity to bring one of Kern County’s leading industries to the attention of elementary school children through ‘hands on’ and ‘up close’ experiences. Classes visit exhibits and presentations on many topics including farm machinery, crops grown in the valley, and farm animals given by knowledgeable members of the local farming community.

Held in the spring at the Kern County Fairgrounds, Farm Day in the City provides our younger students an educational agriculture experience, learning where food comes from, how it is grown, and how it is harvested. They also have a chance to learn about a variety of farm animals during self-guided tours. Classes typically spend two to three hours exploring the world of agriculture and ranching.

For more information regarding this educational event, contact the Farm Bureau office. To view pictures of last year's event click here.

Each spring, the Kern County Farm Bureau awards the Michael R. Mettler Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $500.00 to one or more graduating high school senior or college student who is planning on majoring in agriculture or an ag-related field. Students majoring in veterinary studies with a concentration in large animal husbandry may also be considered.

The Scholarship is awarded annually based upon academic achievement, career goals, extracurricular activities, determination, leadership skills, and a commitment to study agriculture. The MRM Scholarship may be renewed up to three times at the beginning of each academic year with proof from the college or university that the student is enrolled and majoring in an ag-related field of study. This brings the total value of the MRM Scholarship to $2000.00.

For more information or to obtain an application for the Michael R. Mettler Memorial Scholarship contact the Kern County Farm Bureau. The application may also be downloaded here. The deadline for applying is March 6, 2010. Current high school transcripts and college transcripts (if applicable) must be submitted with the application.

Scholarship winners will be announced in April and payment will be dispersed the following September upon receipt of proof of college enrollment, transcripts, and class schedules.

For scholarships awarded by other agricultural organizations click here.

Teacher's Ag Seminar is an agriculture education program sponsored by the Kern County Farm Bureau for teachers in grades K-12. The seminar is designed to give teachers an up-close look at farming and ranching by giving them hands-on experiences. Teachers will not only take back this first-hand knowledge of agriculture from their experiences, but also many resources that will help them share what they have learned with their students.

Teachers who attend the seminar are treated to lively discussions and presentations about a variety of farm topics. The presenters are farmers and ranchers who are living and working in agriculture everyday. The topics include top commodities in Kern County, processing food products, California’s water supply, and much, much more.

Teachers also visit several farms and processing facilities for special tours of top quality agricultural enterprises. The highlight of the seminar is the half-day field trip with a local farmer or rancher in small groups of 2-3 teachers.

This year, the seminar will take place July 26 through July 28, 2010 and interested teachers should email Rebecca Been, TAS Coordinator at kcteachersag@aol.com or download the application and mail it in. This seminar may also be taken for college credit. See application for more information.

More information on how agriculture education coordinates with the California State Curriculum Standards can be found at California Curriculum Guidelines for Agricultural Literacy Awareness.

Kern County Farm Bureau • 801 S. Mount Vernon Avenue • Bakersfield, CA 93307
Phone: (661) 397-9635 • Fax: (661) 397-3403 • Email: kcfb@kerncfb.com
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