Ag in My State

Kenzie has been one of my “Ag Big Sisters” this year. It just kinda happen.

She stood in the longest line with me at FFA Nationals so I could fan girl over meeting John Crimber. She sat in the deer blind with me during my first hunting season… and the night I got my FIRST deer (in a snowstorm) she was out there helping me track. It was 6 degrees and we couldn’t feel our faces. Then she showed me how to process and helped with both my deers this season.

That’s just what ag big sisters do I guess!

Kenzie was recently diagnosed with a rare pancreatic tumor, and tonight our town showed up for a rival softball game, and silent auction. All for her and her family!

I probably would’ve cried tonight thinking about you leaving for college soon, but I was too excited that I won the quail and pheasant hunting trip. 🤣

Gonna miss you for real.

Have you ever taken a class or attended a program through your local Extension office… or not?

Either way, I need your input.

I’m Ayla!! A Kentucky middle schooler and proud Ag Nerd conducting an Agriscience research study.

I’m measuring whether University of Kentucky Extension Office horticulture programs improve invasive insect identification accuracy among Kentucky adults.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qNTpBg2gD0qR_Ea9zv25YCsKbY2432CWqABJ1HndcAc/viewform?fbclid=PAZnRzaAQvaBdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAae0N_093dBok52yGcQBHKDcUzSSJOcfr8nrAO5hZAfYlCJ35ZxUTecPBL2Lag_aem_dvlP-XUfEXtQxLftO8MBvA&edit_requested=true&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

5 full days of living my very best Kentucky Ag Nerd life, and I am still trying to process it all.

This week as the official Author for All in for Ag Education Week, I got to read to classrooms, answer questions, visit schools, talk to students about having ADHD and dyslexia, AND host a live dairy farm field trip.

About 2,500 students joined the live field trip, and I connected with about 1,000 more through school visits, Q and A time, and reading with classes. (Yes! I kept count each day!)

That is around 3,500 students that I personally got to help learn about agriculture and where their milk comes from.

That number is wild to me.

But what is even bigger is knowing that across Kentucky, tens of thousands of students were getting hands on experiences with agriculture this week.

And I just know in my heart that there are a lot more ag nerds in the making.

I am so thankful for every teacher, farmer, and person who made this week possible and trusted me to be part of it.

A huge thank you to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit, and the Dairy Alliance for making this week happen and allowing me to be part of something so big.

This is exactly why I started Ag in My State. To help kids see that agriculture is all around them and that there is a place for them in it. Ag is for ALL learners.

And this week, we as a stare really did…

Learn from the land!

Hi, I’m Ayla — a Kentucky middle schooler and proud Ag Nerd. 🌱

Last year my first Agriscience research project made it to the national stage, and this year I’m trying to do it again.

I’m studying whether University of Kentucky Extension Office horticulture programs help people identify invasive insects more accurately.

If you’re a Kentucky adult (18+), please come take the anonymous survey I created. It only takes about 6–8 minutes.

Thank you all so much!

https://docs.google.com/forms/u/3/d/1qNTpBg2gD0qR_Ea9zv25YCsKbY2432CWqABJ1HndcAc/edit?usp=drivesdk

As I ride home today from All in for Ag Week day 2 , I think about all the opportunities that Kentucky Ag has given me. Today makes me realize that I am one step closer to my dream job. If at 13 I can land partnerships with not only The Dairy Alliance but also the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and host a virtual field trip that is lived streamed to thousands of kids around the state. Helping kids to explore and learn more about all that Kentucky has to offer. Then it makes becoming the first female host of Kentucky Afieldfeel like a real possibility. So yea, today is just one more thing that I plan to add to my resume someday.