Learning from the Wonders Within

The third annual Domestic Study Away Trip ventured down south to the hospitality state of Mississippi (MS). Our group of 15 Penn State Agriculture Educators set out to explore the role agriculture education plays within Mississippi's state at the high school, collegiate, extension, and business levels. With supervised agricultural experience (SAE) and financial literacy as our focal point, we were all hands on deck for a week of learning, teaching, and exploring. 

Our group of students who traveled

My preconceived notions of the culture and environment within Mississippi were along the lines of humid, rural, slower pace of life, dry, and thick southern accents.  As far as the agriculture went I believed I would see miles of fields of cotton, corn, and peanuts and a lot of grain operations. During the week I realized I was not far off with some of my perceptions but Mississippi come full circle for me as the days progressed. In other words...I was mind-blown by the agriculture, people, and communities we encountered. 

I consider myself a seasoned traveler by now, especially on the topics of airport policies, packing, and cultural barriers due to the eight countries I have visited and the multiple states I have explored. Due to this, I can say that Mississippi was a rare gem among the collection of places I have been. When told you are going to go learn about a a place's agriculture and culture for a week and that is your focus, it is hard not to feel a close connection because of the conscience awareness of absorbing everything you can. It is also hard not to be excited and thirsty to learn because of the sense of adventure mixed with a passion for agriculture. What continually astounds me though, from Arizona to Mississippi, is the majestic and hidden treasurers of people and places within each state. It is true that you do not need to go outside your home, weather that be county, state,  or country, to experience the beauty and uniqueness that surround us. 

View from the pier during an evening of reflections

With that being said, let's talk why the state of Mississippi was impacting in more ways then one. To learn all we did we traveled 1,400 miles across the state and had the opportunity to learn about 3 commodities that were unique to the south, catfish, peanuts, and cotton, visited and conversed with 6 agricultural education programs, in addition to being welcomed into several agribusinesses to pick the experts brains on the how's, why's, and what's of their businesses. The people who make the state of Mississippi what they are, were the reason for the success of our trip. Dr. Hock from Mississippi State University travelled with us all week and gave us opportunities we would not have had without her. Each school we visited had an open door policy to questions, exploration, and teaching their students SAE/financial literacy with our Pennsylvania flare. We explored MS's Farm Bureau, Extension & Research Campus (Largest in the country), CHS (sponsor of our trip), Beef and Cattlemen's Association, and many others who gave more then I felt we received. This statement is a testament to the humble, generous, and genuine people that we encountered consistently in Mississippi. Did I mention Mississippi is the hospitality state?

Our tour at CHS

Once again, returning to Pennsylvania was a good choice for my stomach and sleep schedule, but Mississippi left it's arms wide open for us to return to in any capacity. If you want to read the day by day blogs visit Teach Ag PSU Blogspot or follow the trip visually by visiting my Flickr account! A special thanks to our sponsors for the trip Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, UPAC, CHS, Center for Professional Personnel Development, and The Teach Ag! Society.

The back of our PSU Spaceship