FARMINGTON — Volunteers are needed to make Ag Day at Farmington Fair a success.

Volunteers, such as these Spruce Mountain High School Envirothon team members seen in a file photo of Ag Day at Farmington Fair are needed to make the day a success. Volunteers are needed for the butter making station, to help set up tables and to direct people and traffic. File photo/Livertiservermore Falls Ad

For 30 years the event was coordinated and sponsored by the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District [FCSWCD]. In 2020 and 2021 the event was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year it was called off when not enough presenters were available to share their area of expertise with the 1,000-plus school children who typically participated in previous years.

The district announces Ag Day is being held 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, at the fairgrounds. Volunteers are needed to help run the butter making station, set up tables, and to direct traffic and people. Without the help of volunteers Ag Day could not continue.

Those who can volunteer should call 207-778-4279 or email franklincswcd@yahoo.com.

Some changes had to be made to Ag Day this year. Home schooled children from all grade levels will be able to attend as there were 40 students and 20 chaperons registered, according to information provided by FCSWCD. For public schools, students in grades two and four only will be invited to attend.

At the end of July, there were 335 kindergarten students, 307 first grade, 362 second grade, 317 third grade and 335 fourth grade for a total of 1,656 students and an unknown number of chaperones from public schools planning to attend Ag Day, according to information provided by the district. District supervisors made the tough decision to limit the grades that could participate this year based on those numbers.

“We have had concerns over the number of participating students, versus the presenters and volunteers available for the first reopening of Ag Day since 2019,” Corie Willard, FCSWCD executive director wrote in a recent email. “We want to make sure that the fourth graders, who have not yet had a chance to experience Ag Day will get a chance, as well as the second graders.

“This would give first and third graders something to look forward to. With this being said, we would have groups of approximately 20-25 students plus chaperones for each station. We have a vast majority of new presenters and are hoping that they as well as the students have a wonderful, exciting and educational experience.”

The program has been designed to allow students to visit educational learning stations throughout the fair where volunteers will be doing demonstrations, presenting educational information, providing samples of agricultural products, and/or offering a hands-on activity, Willard wrote.