“This is a very big volunteer effort, particularly during the fair,… It’s very important and is part of what’s made this program so successful.” – George Mroch, educator and master gardener
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
A local farming organization was one of 25 recognized recently across the nation, and organizers will have an opportunity to travel to an event in January to share some of the secrets of their success.
The Walworth County Farm Bureau received the recognition from the American Farm Bureau Federation for what was deemed an innovative program idea known as the County Farm Barnyard Adventure Ag Education.
Local bureau leaders have been invited to take part in AFBF’s 94th annual meeting from Jan. 13-16 in Nashville, Tenn.
“Winners will display their programs at the AFBF annual meeting trade show, allowing farm bureau members from across the county to learn about successful programs and activities that promote agriculture within farming communities,” Bob Stallman, AFBF president, said in a statement.
Educator and master gardener George Mroch is the main person behind the County Farm Barnyard Adventure – a program that began a dozen years and has picked up steam with each ensuing year.
Mroch’s efforts are most visible through two separate initiatives. He holds a series of classroom activities for elementary-aged students in kindergarten to grade 5 in nearly all Walworth County schools.
At the schools, Mroch engages students through such appealing activities as making ice cream in a bag and extracting DNA from natural oils.
Gardening is another key component in Mroch’s classroom activities. Students have an opportunity to learn about the ins and outs of being successful gardeners.
Budgeting is also included in the curriculum as students review what was grown, what it cost to purchase the seeds and the value of the produce grown.
“We like to teach them about the business end of it as well because it’s important,” Mroch said.
The County Farm Barnyard Adventure got its roots at the Walworth County Fair. Through a variety of exhibits, fairgoers can receive a cursory glimpse of a number of hands-on activities around the overarching theme of horticulture.
The organization works in tandem with the Walworth County 4-H chapter during the fair.
“It’s an opportunity to show kids not in 4-H what they could be doing,” Mroch said.
Mroch and other organizers have received more than 40 disparate awards for their role in the County Farm Barnyard Adventure program. Mroch is quick to point out the generosity of the community and a ground swell of volunteer support have made the program what it is today.
“This is a very big volunteer effort, particularly during the fair,” Mroch said. “This year, we had 280 people who gave of their time at the fair. It’s very important and is part of what’s made this program so successful.”
Walworth County was one of two farm bureaus recognized in Wisconsin. The other bureau, in Dane County, was recognized for an initiative known as Social Media Mondays.
