Fashion and Farming with Soybeans – Ohio Ag Net

By Matt Reese and Dale Minyo

Columbus area elementary students are looking stylish this spring with some truly one-of-a-kind jewelry, following the Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture and Agriculture.

Environmental Sciences We Grow Scientists event at the Waterman Laboratory for Agriculture and Natural Resources. We Grow Scientists was a free May 1 event open to learners of all ages interested in learning more about STEM activities as part of the COSI Science Festival.

The soybean necklaces made by students at the event not only provide a unique look, but also serve as a great learning opportunity for fashion-conscious young students, said Lena Dickerson, a sophomore at Otterbein University and GrowNextGen Ambassador, who worked with students at the event. .

To make soybean necklaces, simply put two soybeans in a very small bag with a cotton ball. Spray it with a little water and as long as you wear it around your neck, your body heat actually helps it grow. It starts to sprout and sprout while you wear it, Dickerson said. They love it when they see their plants actually start to sprout. It just helps show how quickly soybeans grow and how quickly they germinate, but it also shows how easily you can use them and you can also spread the message of why soybeans are so important.

Dickerson grew up in Kansas and came to Otterbein for the zoo's academic science program.

Once I got there, I realized that animals weren't the only thing that mattered to me and I wanted to get into environment and conservation, and then into agriculture, because it's pretty much the backbone of everything, she said. I didn't have much experience with soybeans coming into Ohio, but once I got here I immediately realized how important they were. Soy is present in many foods and areas that impact all of life. Coming into GrowNextGen, I really felt like they were doing something great with the Ohio Soybean Council, not only educating students about agriculture, but also letting them know how important soybeans are. important as well as the importance of going into agriculture as a career.

GrowNextGen Ambassador Kaylynn Wilhelm, a second-year agricultural education student at Ohio State University in Clark County, has a very different background.

My mom is a teacher and my dad is a soybean farmer, so I think it just happened that I could be a farmer and a teacher at the same time, so I might as well be an agricultural educator, Wilhelm said. With GrowNextGen, I hope to gain a lot of experience in informal education in agriculture so that I can help bridge the gap between urban and rural areas. Having that experience and being able to talk to people who may not know much about soybeans or other types of agriculture is really a big part of my specialization. Events like this can have a huge impact, especially if they take place in the middle of Columbus.

Wilhelm hopes to share some of his love for farm life with the next generation of students, especially in urban areas.

I grew up showing pigs, cattle, goats, etc., and watching my father farm. I would take a ride in the combine or planter and see this first hand. I noticed that not everyone has had this experience and it really opened my eyes to how privileged and lucky I am to have this life. I really want to share it with everyone so they can experience it too, Wilhelm said. It is really important that we sow seeds not only of soybeans, but also of science and agriculture as early as possible, because these topics are less and less popular with the younger generation, but they are still as important as ever. 20 or 30 years ago. So we are doing our best to make a lasting impact on these students and hope that we can make an impact on the next generation.

All year long, GrowNextGen Ambassadors will be working this summer with a wide range of tools and programs to make learning about agriculture easier, including the ever-trendy soybean necklace.

The GrowNextGen program is funded by and through Ohio soybean growers.