Ag Adventures at the State Fair

The North Carolina State Fair is a time-honored tradition that brings together families, friends and food enthusiasts from across the state. With this year’s fair running from Oct. 12-22, here are the best spots to find College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students and experience agriculture at the North Carolina State Fair. With these ideas, you’re sure to have “The Best Day Ever.”

Taste Dairy Products with the Dairy Science Club 

Visitors to the fair are invited to stop by the Dairy Promotion Booth in Dorton Arena for an exciting dairy experience. Talk with a knowledgeable team of students who are passionate about dairy products and production. The club will be selling milk with Got To Be NC Friday through Sunday, so “moove” on over to get yours!

Club members will also help with several other booths, including the Mooovie Theater in the Graham Building and dairy shows.

Sample Howling Cow Ice Cream with the Food Science Club

The Food Science Club will be serving Howling Cow ice cream on restaurant row near the Sam Rand Grandstand. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy the new Dean’s Choice flavor, Tuffy’s Toffee, which has a vanilla base, caramel swirls and chocolate-covered toffee pieces.

Get Your Toes Tapping with the Clogging Club

Founded in 1989, NC State’s Clogging Club is an award-winning competitive dance team. CALS senior Peyton Gardner is the club’s president, and several other CALS students are on the team. The cloggers perform multiple styles from North Carolina and the East Coast. Don’t miss their performance on Oct. 14 at 11 a.m. in the Village of Yesteryear. Their high-energy routines will have you clapping along.

Milk a Cow with the NC State Animal Science Club

Led by the Animal Science Club at NC State, visitors are taught how to milk a cow. In addition to milking, you can pet and take pictures with the cows. As you exit the booth, you will be given a choice between white or chocolate milk processed on NC State’s campus. You can find the Animal Science Club at the Expo Center, near the giant pumpkin display and handwashing stations.

You can also find members at the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association Booth and in the ring in the Graham Building showing off various breeds raised and trained for showing.

Learn With the Extension Master Gardeners 

NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers will be stationed throughout the fair, including at the Flower and Garden Show located near the Village of Yesteryear and Heritage Circle. If you see one of these exceptional volunteers, be sure to say hello and ask them any pressing questions you have about horticulture.

Explore North Carolina FFA

You can find North Carolina FFA members throughout the fair, from volunteering at exhibits to showing animals.

The Children’s Barnyard, managed by the Wake County FFA Federation, provides fairgoers, especially children, the opportunity to see and learn about farm animals. The exhibit is put together by agriculture programs across Wake County, and students help take care of the animals. The barnyard will be open throughout the fair.

FFA members will also be showing livestock and volunteering at the Field of Dreams exhibit to educate the public about agriculture.

Get Excited About 4-H

Every year, 4-H participants from across the state showcase their diverse talents in art, entomology, culinary creations and photography in the Education Building. Members will also decorate hay bales, and county 4-H programs from all five Extension districts will have exhibits. Additionally, you can spot enthusiastic members showing their prized livestock with pride in the Graham and Expo buildings.

Support the Pack Pullers

The Pack Pullers club is the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers quarter-scale tractor student design team at NC State. Visit the Antique Farm Machinery Building to meet the members and see their award-winning quarter-scale tractor.

See you there!

This post was originally published in College of Agriculture and Life Sciences News.