Hi, jammers! Kutekoolkitten here from the Animal Jam Archives! Today I will be sharing my experiences working in agriculture with you all. I will also be teaching you all some super cool facts about the industry and tips on how to get involved. Agriculture is an essential factor and helps make the world go around!

Firstly, what do I participate in that is directly related to agriculture? Good question! I attend an agricultural high school where I study sustainable horticulture and cattle production. I also work at a local greenhouse where I talk to customers and promote the importance of agricultural leadership. I also am an officer for my FFA (Future Farmers of America) and 4-H chapters where I dedicate time to attending national leadership events and public speaking events to grow our industry further and empower the youth! Participating in these events has led me to have a keen eye for detail and a fond love for what I do!

Let’s talk about plant production and food production! To start, where do your fruit and vegetables come from you may ask? The answer would be local farms and nurseries! Every day, farmers are working to grow healthy crops and promote a more sustainable environment. They help contribute to this by using only organic measures for crop control, low maintenance, and energy-efficient systems, and especially selling their crops locally for their community! Did you know that the United States is the largest agricultural exporter in the world? Wow, that’s pretty amazing! And what's even greater is that farm workers are constantly finding new ways of innovating their crop production for the better! One example of this includes hydroponic systems. Hydroponic systems are environmentally friendly systems that require no soil and minimal amounts of energy to operate. Not only do they save resources, energy, and time, but they also produce fruits and vegetables quicker, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere quicker and giving America food faster! You too can make your home more sustainable by purchasing a small hydroponic system or aquaponics system for your community or starting a small community garden! Here are some of my photos from working with crop production:

Next, I would like to talk about nurseries and nursery plants! As I stated before, I work with plants at my school and at my work. I find it very cool working with houseplants because not only are they pretty and bring people loads of joy, but they also are a big part of agriculture! How many times have you gone to a store and picked out a succulent or a spider plant for your window? These are grown by greenhouse workers! They are cute and provide oxygen to the world! Fun fact, did you know that house plants are very easy to propagate? Propagation is the process of making new plants by cuttings. Cuttings are pieces of plant material that will grow roots. This also happens at flower farms which I will get into next. Below are a few pictures of house plants:

Another important part of horticulture is flower farming! Floral designing brings joy to everyone across the globe, and these designs are made possible by flower farmers. Some commonly grown summer flowers include zinnias, sunflowers, and my favorite - DAHLIAS! Aside from looking beautiful, did you know that some flowers are actually edible as well? Pansies, nasturtiums, marigolds, and so many more are edible! So they can brighten up your whole world! Some of my favorite flower photos that I took:

Lastly, a HUGE portion of agriculture is cattle production! Both beef and dairy cattle make a positive difference in this world. I have worked with show cattle and production cattle and all I can say is, it’s a BLAST! Cattle are highly intelligent animals and it is amazing to see them working. Fun fact, cows help us make the ice cream that we all know and love! Dairy cattle produce milk and ice cream makers add sugar and flavor to create the iconic dairy product! Cows are so much fun to work with! Halters are pieces of leather or rope that help us lead both dairy cattle and beef cattle around. Let's learn how to properly put on a cattle halter! Firstly, open the halter to give your animal some space. Then, carefully place the halter around their ears and under their muzzle. Then, carefully adjust the halter to fit the cow. Lastly, pet the cow as a reward for being awesome! I also love evaluating cattle for industry standards! Through FFA, I competed in the dairy evaluation contest and my team and I won first place in the state contest so we will be able to compete on the national level. I can’t wait! Here are a few pictures of my favorite cows that I love working with:

Thank you all so so much for reading this article! If you have any questions about my career in agriculture or are interested to learn more, feel free to contact me on Instagram @Kutekoolkitten_aj! You can learn so much about animals, plants, and agriculture in general by playing Animal Jam - that’s how I got my start! I hope you all are well and always remember to Stay Kool! 😎🐾