Revitalized Farmamerica to hold grand opening
Farmamerica, southern Minnesota’s agricultural interpretive center, reopens this Saturday, unveiling its new Ag Around You Discovery Center. The revitalized facility and interactive exhibits in Waseca have been created thanks to Farmamerica’s Rooted & Growing Capital Campaign, which has reached 80% of its $850,000 goal. Minnesota Corn is proud to support the Farmamerica capital campaign through the Minnesota corn check-off as part of our mission to promote corn farming and educate the non-farming public about agriculture.
“Minnesota Corn is excited about this week’s grand opening of the new exhibits at Farmamerica and the meaningful learning opportunities they will provide to young people and the non-farming public,” said Minnesota Corn Growers Association board member Angela Guentzel. She said, “We’re proud to support agricultural education throughout Minnesota and appreciate the opportunity to partner with Farmamerica to build a deeper understanding of farming and agriculture.”
The centerpiece of the new exhibits will be “The Family Dinner Table.” Here, visitors of all ages can sit down to a set table and press buttons corresponding to different food items. With the press of each button, a different 90-second video clip plays, showing a farm family talking about what they grow.
Currently, the exhibit shows Dawn and Grant Breitkreutz, who raise beef and row crops In Redwood Falls; Mike and Rebekah Patterson, who raise pork in Kenyon; Mallina Xiong, who raises vegetables and flowers for farmers markets at the Hmong American Farmers Association farms near Hastings; and Julianne Corum, who raises tomatoes and strawberries in greenhouse facilities at Bushel Boy Farms in Owatonna.
“Our vision is to show that Minnesota farmers are part of the solution to some of the challenges we are facing today,” said Jessica Rollins, executive director of Farmamerica. “Our exhibits will be an eye opener, especially for people who come to our visitor center with pre-conceived notions about agriculture. They will have this ‘ah-ha moment’ where they see that, as farmers, we are trying new things, to do the right thing, to take care of the land, and to preserve it for the next generations.”
The Visitor Center opens to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, for Farmamerica’s annual Pumpkin Party, a family-friendly event featuring pumpkin carving, refreshments, a live blacksmith demonstration, a corn maze, and more. Children are encouraged to attend in Halloween costumes. Tickets can be purchased here.
