A group of seventh grade students listen as local farmer and member of the Cambria County Farm Bureau George Greiner shows them how his corn planter works. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow

PATTON — A group of seventh grade students learned about the roots of crop planting during the fourth annual agriculture presentation, developed by local farmers, Wednesday morning outside Cambria Heights Middle School.

While Wednesday’s rainfall prevented local farmers from planting six rows of sweet corn in the field across from the school, they showed off some of their equipment, including a corn planter, and took part in a Q&A session.

Once the soil dries, farmers will plant seeds donated by the Bedford Farm Bureau Co-op in Curryville, and the class will return in the fall to pick the corn for a cookout celebration.

George Greiner, a Cambria County Farm Bureau member, said it’s important to make students aware of the farming process.

“It’s crazy how many people think that food is grown in a grocery store,” he said before the presentation, adding that many kids today are removed from the agricultural lifestyle.

“Back in the day, everybody’s relative was a farmer, but not so much today,” he said. “It’s more about being aware of different things and understanding what goes on.”

Looking at weather trends over the years, Greiner said they’re staying optimistic about seed growth, as last spring was very wet and the crops dried out all summer long.

“It’s been tough the past few years,” he said, adding that they need consistent rainfall year round.

During the presentation, Cambria County native and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Vice President Tommy Nagle said that local farmers are doing their best to ensure environmental safety and safe food sources.

“The people putting food on your plate are doing it in a safe and sustainable way,” he said.

And when it comes to agriculture information, Nagle encouraged kids to turn off TikTok and search academic studies, like those from Penn State University, or speak to a local farmer.

“Don’t get your information from (a social media) platform; really do the research and find out the true facts,” he said.

Bedford Farm Bureau Co-op representative Matt Poorman also inquired about students’ future career paths, asking if they were interested in science or chemistry.

“Part of my job is to use all that education that I’ve got when I was in your shoes to now, to help make cropping decisions better,” he said.

He added that those interested in remote-controlled drones or helicopters could also become certified drone pilots to spread seeds, connecting a pilot license with agriculture.

One in seven jobs in Pennsylvania is related to agriculture, according to Marty Yahner, partner of Yahner Brothers Farms and Cambria County Farm Bureau president.

“You could get involved in many careers that deal with agriculture,” he said.

Planting seeds ‘for a better tomorrow’

After Greiner showed students how the corn planter works and the technology located inside the cab, they gathered in the school library to ask some questions.

Geography teacher Josh Bracken was very appreciative of what local farmers brought to the table Wednesday morning, as students could merge classroom lessons with real-world circumstances.

He said students not only learned where food comes from but also how resources can be enhanced if they’re managed responsibly.

“You’re planting the seeds for a better tomorrow,” he said.

Two students said they learned how local agricultural practices are incorporating modern methods.

“It’s not just driving tractors and planting stuff,” Blake Lewis said. “It’s (also) about drones, and when you go into the tractor, it has all those iPads, and I thought that was pretty cool to see that a ton of technology is in farming.”

Likewise, Charlie Krug didn’t know how much technology was integrated into agricultural practices in his own backyard.

Krug said the presentation kept students interested in farming, passing knowledge down to the next generation.

“You always need farms if you always need food,” Lewis said.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.