Summer Agriculture: Student Agriculture Experiences

Buy and show a calf at fairs
Form a cooperative with other students to raise broiler chickens
Grow catfish to sell to local cafes.
Operate a pet-sitting service.
Organize and/or run a petting zoo at local fairs or farmers' markets.
Provide a kennel cleaning service.
Provide equine training services.
Provide fishing and hiking services for area youth groups and elementary students.
Raise and sell farm-fresh eggs.
Raise and sell purebred dogs.
Raise and train hunting dogs.
Raise chinchillas, hamsters or gerbils and sell them on the Internet.
Raise fish for the state fish and game department.
Raise game birds to sell for the training of bird dogs.
Raise game fish for sale to stockponds.
Raise indigenous snakes and release into the wild (at approved area) each summer.
Raise market pigs.
Raise pheasants or quail to be released into the wild.
Raise your own livestock or specialty animals.
Run a trapping business.
Start a dog obedience training service.
Start a dog walking business.

Assist a horse group that works with disabled students.
Work at a horse stable.
Create a classroom pet adoption program with elementary schools.
Maintain the school's aquaculture system.
Manage a small aquatics lab.
Participate in a mentorship program with a taxidermist.
Take care of classroom animals.
Work as a beef feedlot assistant.
Work as a veterinarian assistant.
Work as a wildlife outfitter or guide.
Work at a university research lab caring for small animals.
Work at a livestock farm or a ranch.
Work at a pet shop.
Work at the local livestock auction barn.
Work for a pet-sitting service.
Work for a predator control service
Work for a rodeo company caring for animals and assisting with rodeos.
Work for the state game and fish department
Work in the grocery store meats department.
Work on a dairy farm or heifer raising farm.
Work on an exotic animal farm.

Conduct feed trials for growing broiler chickens.
Research cage layers versus floor layers for egg production.
Research effectiveness of various estrus synchronization hormones.
Research feed trial testing different swine diets.
Research methods of predator control and trapping.
Discover the number of pet owners in the community and their priority concerns.
Research the best diet to help obese pets lose weight.
Study the effects of genetic selection in groups of animals over time.
Test the selection of young pigs based on grade and lean yield at slaughter.

Assist at local animal shelter.
Conduct a survey of all livestock operations in your area.
Conduct surveys of wildlife populations.
Coordinate and conduct a horse safety camp.
Maintain aquariums for local businesses.
Manage livestock show and supplies for FFA chapter.
Plan and implement a "hands-on" livestock field trip.
Provide a home for homeless pets.
Staff FFA displays that have farm animals at county and state fairs.
Take small animals to nursing homes for visits.
Volunteer to assist with a livestock show or county fair.

Operate custom combining service.
Operate custom heifer raising service.
Operate custom hog raising business.
Work at a seed corn dealership.
Operate a poultry litter clean-out service.
Operate a lawn mainteance/mowing service.
Start a franchise of an existing fruit/vegetable stand.
Start a service that cleans leaves from gutters.
Operate a hay hauling service.
Operate a custom spraying service.

Work as a service provider in a grocery store.
Work for a local cement company that installs agriculture applications.
Work as a grain tester/handler for a local elevator.
Be a sales associate at a garden or farm supply store
Work at a local feed store.
Work for a local tax accountant who handles agriculture customers.
Work for the local agriculture insurance agency.
Work for an agriculture marketing services company.
Work as an intern for the local agriculture department.
Work for an irrigation service provider.
Work for an agriculture auctioneer service.
Work as an assistant sales manager at a turf equipment company.
Interview salespeople at the local greenhouse about customer buying habits.
Take inventory of and categorize all agriculture-related businesses in the community.
Research cost of production in your area compared to other areas of your state/country.
Study the change in input costs over time for a given agriculture business.
Research the changes in buying habits among farmers over time.
Compare the role of women in operating agriculture businesses over time.
Research the amount of a consumer's dollar that reaches the farmer in various commodities.
Conduct insect scouting for a seed corn company.
Assist other students in applying for youth loans.
Start a weekly price reporting service to publish in a newsletter.
Create a 10-minute prsentation for other FFA members about careers in agribusiness.
Find two articles each week about the economics of the agriculture industry.
Volunteer to do website and brochure development for local agriculture businesses.
Volunteer to assist FFA members with records and applications.
Shadow an agriculture banker or loan officer.
Produce a weekly column for a newspaper about agricultural issues.

Start a leaf collection service in the fall and sell mulch in the spring.
Own and operate a water system farm drainage (tilling) company.

Start a service to collect used pesticide containers.
Sell shop safety equipment door to door.
Create a service to remove algae from area lakes and fishing ponds.
Run a soil testing service for town gardens or farm fields - take samples, send in and delivery results.
Sell radon detectors and collect radon samples.
Start a water sample collecting service.
Start a manure removal business for acreage owners.
Provide a wood chipping service and sell the chips as mulch.

Assist local agencies with data collection for watersheds.
Work for a company that installs plastic drainage tile for farm fields.
Work for a testing laboratory.
Develop marshlands for game.
Work as a teacher for waste water lagoons.
Work at a fishery monitoring water quality.
Work for the natural resource and conservation district.
Assist landowners with installation of soil conservation practices.

Conduct a local water quality study.
Research area pollution concerns.
Study pollution control practices.
Research rate of accidents on area farms and compare to national averages.
Study animal waste legislation at local, state and federal level.
Research methods for preventing common accidents in agriculture department laboratory.
Monitor dust levels in the air at various sites and times throughout the year.
Research the effects of livestock feed on waste issues.
Monitor pollen counts in an area by working with labs and weather stations.
Research the effects of erosion on various cover crops.
Work as a water quality lab assistant.

Conduct a tour of area farms and ranches that practice effective pollution control.
Develop a plan to manage school food waste.
Lead farm safety program for elementary students.
Volunteer to monitor water quality for community pond.
Assist community watershed action groups.
Collect water samples for local or state agencies.
Conduct composting workshops for homeowners.
Develop and implement a farm safety class for elementary school students.
Establish green belts along streams on your farm.
Research the benefits of Conservation Resource Program (CRP).
Put together a town safety package - mark all signs, fire hydrants and water drains.
Take part in a mentorship program with the local soil and water conservation district.

Sell gourmet popcorn products.
Use unsaleable zucchini in baked goods as a side to vegetable production
Raise trout and sell to local restaurants.
Process and sell specialty products - bison, wildflowers, ostrich, etc.
Process wild game for jerky.
Collect wild mushrooms and sell to local vendors.
Sell picked vegetables.
Make jams and jellies for sale at a farmers' market.
Start a service to grow gardens for the elderly.
Work for and/or operate a wild bird processing service.
Food Products/Processing Systems - Placement

Work at a meat production plant.
Work at a produce facility that repackages and sells produce.
Work at a vegetable or fruit canning factory.
Work on a cranberry farm.
Work for an agricultural seed cleaning and bagging company.
Help at a local fruit/vegetable stand.
Assist on a herb farm.
Deliver sweet corn to customers for a lcoal grower.
Assist with produce selection at a grocery store.

Research genetic crossings in winter squash.
Research the environmental effects on milk.
Create classroom activities.
Research genetic changes in various vegetable crops.
Test ideas for new food products
Research incidents of food-borne illnesses in the community.
Study the impact of various styles of labels on people's perception of the food.
Research why new food fails to sell.
Research the development and use of edible soybeans.

Prepare a food safety information kit covering safe handling of meat, eggs and other fresh food products.
Present a food safety demonstration to elementary students.
Work to establish a community vegetable garden.
Create posters that show foods from raw to finished product.
Interview three companies that process or package food products.
Create and promotion for local food products on chapter website.
Grow vegetables to give to local food pantry.
Ask farmers for permission to glean fields for food to give to homeless shelters.
Shadow a USDA meat inspector.

Raise wild game fowl for sale to local hunters.
Stock and maintain fish populations in ponds.
Raise Christmas trees and sell at Christmas time.
Cut firewood and sell at local stores.
Raise fish for the state fish and game department.
Operate a trapping business.
Contract with landowners to plant food plots for wildlife.
Construct and sell game feeders.
Create and sell soil survey maps for area farmers and land owners.
Build bat, bird, duck or squirrel houses for use or sale.
Develop hunting ranges; Set up indoor/outdoor ranges for bow competitions.
Develop a forest/wildlife management plan for a local landowner.

Clean and prune orchards.
Work in the logging business.
Work for a landowner to plant habitat for wild game.
Serve as hunting guide.
Maintain and supervise the school prairie or grounds.

Provide outdoor education material at camps.
Work at a sawmill.
Work for a park service during the summer.
Work for a nature center.
Assist Christmas tree farmers with planting and trimming.
Assist local city management with summer programs by serving as guides
Work for the fish and game department.
Work for parks and recreation in maintenance department.
Work at a bait shop.
Assist a timber stand improvement specialist.

Attend the meetings of local or state conservation boards.
Interview a naturalist.
Shadow officials at a government natural resources agency.
Start a fish pond and teach others how to fish.
Habitat construction - make brush piles, plant wildlife habitat, etc.
Develop habitat trails for walking.
Woodlot management and improvement including firewood, habitat, etc.
Process and deliver seedlings to elementary school students.
Create activities or laboratoaries for a natural resources class.
Organize and participate in a wildlife field day.
Plan a wildlife field trip.
Clean shelterbelts and stack refuge in piles.
Volunteer to assist at campgrounds with cleanup and maintenance.
Create posters on soil conservation practices for homeowners.
Create a brochure on creating wildlife habitat in backyards to share with community.

Research best practices for improving fish habitat in local ponds.
Research the benefits of using GIS mapping for natural resources.
Study soil profiles from multiple locations in your community and develop a soil map.
Study the effects of excessive lawn chemicals on wildlife.
Research the effectiveness of habitat restoration projects in your community.
Study the changes in mining industry techniques over time.
Research your local parks to find out what activities people like and use the most.
Research the impact of various insects on woodlot management.
Research impact of using ATV's on public lands.
Discover the native plants for your ecological area and determine how prevalent they are currently.
Works at a commercial fishing operation where they harvest carp, buffalo etc from the area lakes for income and sell
them on the dock and Grafton etc. Income from work is 10% of fish sales.

Grow flowers for sale at a local farmer's market.
Rent land from a neighbor and grow soybeans.
Start your own pruning business.
Start your own spraying business.
Start your own forage testing service.
Start your own soil sampling business.
Start your own lawn mowing service.
Grow and sell plants through the high school greenhouse.
Raise Christmas trees.
Raise and sell pumpkins.
Raise and sell strawberries.
Provide services to fertilize lawns, till garden spots, prune trees, etc.
Grow organic vegetables for a local café.
Grow and sell red worms used to produce compost.
Sell and install water gardens.

Work as a range consultant.
Work for a sprinkler installation business.
Work for a grain farmer.
Conduct timber crews and mark timber to be thinned.
Work for an agronomy service and collect soil samples.
Work for a lawn and landscape care business.
Work in and monitor the school forest.
Work at a nursery
Work at a golf course.
Work for a local flower shop doing design, plant care, deliveries, etc.
Work at a grain elevator during the summer.
Work on a turf farm.
Work in an orchard.
Work with county soil scientist to map soils.
Work at an area garden center.

Research the best turf grass varieties for your area.
Develop a test plot for various types of crops.
Use the school lab to manage small vegetable crop variety plots.
Test forage samples under various conditions to determine feed values.
Test organic versus inorganic fertilizers on plant development.
Research the effect of various planting times on yields of green beans.
Research the effectiveness of genetically modified (GM) crops.
Discover the best types of artificial lights for plant growth.
Research plant propagation techniques.
Test drought tolerance of different types of watermelons.

Take care of flower beds/gardens on school property.
Build and maintain the compost units at the school.
Volunteer to work with landowners to improve their forest lots.
Provide forestry walk-through tours for elementary students.
Plan plant-related activities and laboratores for your class.
Do a garden projection for school land and have it mapped out four years in advance.
Collect and laminate plants from a nursery landscape CDE at various stages of growth.
Create a brochure about common houseplant diseases and how to take care of them.
Complete a report on 10 food plants that includes origin, uses and cultivation practices.
Take pictures and make a CD for plant or insect identification.

Design, build and sell lawn ornaments.
Operate a lawnmower service and repair business
Build garden sheds for homeowners.
Start a basic computer help service for area agriculture producers.
Start a custom spraying service that utilizes GPS.
Design custom computer programs using Excel or other software to solve problems for producers.
Provide basic internet and e-mail training to producers to increase their level of confidence in using technology.
Map fields, weeds, etc. for producers using GPS and GIS.
Operate a business that computerizes farmers' records.
Make business cards, stationary, etc. for businesses or chapter members.
Run a custom fence building and repair business.

Work as a diesel mechanic assistant.
Work for an irrigation service company.
Assist with GPS mapping for agronomic services company
Work in a welding shop
Work as an assistant for an truck or tractor mechanic.
Work for a local electrician in agricultural settings.
Pour concrete forms for machine sheds or other agricultural buildings.
Work on plumbing waste systems, air and water systems in agricultural settings.
Wire agricultural buildings for lights and receptacles.
Provide maintenance for school shop equipment
Manage the steel inventory in the agriculture shop.
Machine and rebuild engine parts for agricultural equipment.
Work for a small engine repair shop - overhaul and repair.
Work with county soil and water engineers - assist in measuring and engineer design.
Work as a surveyor's assistant
Work for a plumbing business in an agricultural setting.
Work for a local university in the area of robotics in agriculture.

Conduct a field demonstration on GPS systems for elementary students.
Develop "hands-on" activitites for the class.
Complete home or farmstead improvement construction activities
Hold a classroom demonstration on automated systems.
Construct protypes of hydraulic systems
Create digital video programs about FFA.
Create and produce a weekly television or radio show about FFA and agriculutre.
Maintain the chapter web page.
Interview area agriculture producers about the changes in technology over the past 50 years.
Report on all of the control systems used in a typical greenhouse.
Prepare a 10-minute presentation on GIS mapping for forestry, wildlife, soil and water management.
Create a teaching model to show how a small gas engine works.
Create a demonstration model that shows proper and improper welding techniques.
Shadow a computer professional in any agriculture-related industry.
Volunteer to design a website for a local agriculture gorup.

Research the adoption of technology by agriculture producers in your area.
Research the differences among farm management software systems.
Test the strength of different types of welds.
Research the cost versus return of automating systems in an agriculture processing facility.
Study the latest advancements of robotics in agriculture.
Research the energy use of different types of lighting systems in farm buildings.
Research the water savings accomplished by new irrigation technologies.
Research the biggest challenges producers face when adopting new technology.
Compare and contrast the different styles of tillage equipment.
Study the possible modifications in agriculture equipment for persons with disabilities.