The proposed Morgan County Agricultural Learning Lab will be a multipurpose agricultural facility utilized by students in the Morgan County Charter School System. FFA members from the middle school and high school will house livestock animals and class projects, and elementary agriculture students and primary STEM students will also utilize the space for labs. The idea is that through this program, we can “grow a farmer without a farm”. In Phase One, the facility will be approximately 7,000 square feet, heated and cooled, with concrete floors and wash racks. It will have 20 (6’ x 10’) individual pens to house small livestock (hogs, goats, or sheep) with room for expansion down the center aisle. Additionally, there will be a multipurpose room, restrooms, and storage spaces. Solar panels will be installed to ensure a more renewable energy plan.
Phase Two will include an open air large livestock barn where dairy heifers and beef cattle will be housed. The large animal barn will mimic the size of the small animal barn and will have individual stalls with run outs for the cattle. The barn would include 12 stalls, a practice area, and storage for our livestock trailer and potential tractor.
House livestock projects (animals) for students who do not have a place to house their animals at their homes due to city regulations, HOAs, available facilities, etc.
Provide hands-on learning opportunities for our Animal Science and Biotechnology and Vet Science class. Model the livestock market - raise livestock animals to be processed and sold to demonstrate the business of animal agriculture.
Host meetings and community classes for the Morgan County FFA Chapter in the multipurpose room.
Students will be responsible for the daily care of their show animal which leads to many benefits. Livestock programs provide students with valuable character skills such as responsibility, confidence, competition and how to deal with loss. Students are also able to build a network of connections by making new friends and developing social relationships from diverse cultural backgrounds. And finally students gain knowledge about the daily care of livestock animals.
One of the major problems we face with participation in our livestock show program is that our students lack adequate facilities to raise these animals (market hogs, market goats, market lambs, dairy heifers, and beef steers and heifers). Many students are restricted by city ordinances or Home Owners Associations. Even without these restrictions, many lack the funds for proper housing. A temperature controlled facility will help alleviate common respiratory issues seen in winter market hogs due to the abrupt changes in temperature these animals face by living in outdoor facilities. Having this facility would also help us, as ag teachers, to better supervise the feeding and medical care of the animals. By being able to monitor these animals daily with the students, we feel we can reduce or mitigate many of the medical issues we have faced in the past.
The biggest challenge for the animal science and vet science classes is having animals to learn with. Agricultural education prides itself in hands-on learning and having a barn on campus would allow us to house animals that could be used for classroom labs. Not only would students be able to monitor and assist with daily care, but they would also learn about the livestock market through the marketing and selling of these animals.