Leader-Post: Agri-Ed celebrates 25 years

Lyle Benko took his son Dean to Agribition when Dean was in kindergarten and now Dean is bringing his son, Andrew who is in kindergarten, on Saturday.

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Three year old Tyler Popadynek watches the new born chicks in the Agri-Ed
showcase during the Western Canadian Agribition in Regina Nov. 22, 2011.

Photograph by: Bryan Schlosser, Regina Leader-Post

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Lyle Benko: "I worked at the stockyards when I was a kid and I got a real appreciation for the rural setting that I didn’t understand because I grew up in the city.

"From then on, I always believed as an educator the fact that our kids really don’t understand a lot about where the food comes from, a lot about the appreciation of how hard it is to get that food to us.

"I guess I thought a long time ago that if I ever could have a chance, I’d do something about it and that’s what we’ve been doing."



Tasha Epp with the Sheep development board spins wool
for children at the Agri-Ed showcase during the Western
Canadian Agribition in Regina Nov. 22, 2011.

Photograph by: Bryan Schlosser, Regina Leader-Post

Tasha Epp: "(Kids will) stand and stare at it forever and try and figure out how it works.

It’s just very interesting to see because I’m sure none of them have ever seen it before and it’s nice to see that they get to view things that they may not see in the city system."



Courtney MacDougall: "This year, we introduced our grade one’s and two programs so they are able to come and as well we’ve been able to provide a half-day experience for some kids.

"I think the reason was if bringing half-day students in, you can actually do a lot, depending and it opens up time frames that weren’t there before. Even though it’s a small amount of time...it’s allowing them to get that experience and I think it’s important that you start giving the agriculture experience to the youngest because as they grow, they’re only going to become more educated on it and if they’re really inteterssed in it, those are our future mentors and agri-business people."