The 567-Acre Classroom

July 1996

Greensboro, NC: Just outside the city limits of Greensboro, the area's largest classroom stands beside the road. But you won't find blackboards, a principal's office or even a textbook in this classroom; its props are livestock, its auditorium a watershed, and it boasts the most experienced schoolmaster, Mother Nature.

North Carolina A&T State University's farm complex began as a small plot of land on campus. From there, operations were moved to the area now occupied by Lorillard on East Market Street, before the farm complex assumed its present location on McConnell Road, just east of Greensboro.

Over the years, the farm has proven a vital aspect of the educational experiences of many A&T students. A&T alumni, from the most recent graduates to past and present deans, have benefitted from their experiences with the farm.

The present farm complex is home to constructed wetlands, soil research plots, livestock units and a variety of equipment needed for a successful farm operation. "We try to manage the farm in the most self-sufficient way possible," said Dr. M. Ray McKinnie, interim director of the University farm complex.

The topography of the farm complex is representative of several topographies common in the North Carolina Piedmont, a factor which enhances research and extension demonstrations. Using these natural resources, scientists and Extension specialists with A&T's School of Agriculture are able to demonstrate innovative farming techniques to area farmers, visiting delegations from foreign countries, and others interested in North Carolina agriculture.

"There is only so much you can explain in a meeting room or through a publication," said McKinnie. "Farm demonstrations allow us to add credibility to our presentations, and to give visitors a picture of what we are explaining."

The farm complex also enables A&T scientists to conduct a variety of experiments. Scientists with the A&T School of Agriculture use this facility to study such issues as controlled grazing and animal waste management, forestry, and innovations in production agriculture. The information gained from these research efforts is then disseminated through classroom instruction and Cooperative Extension programs.

A recent research focus has been on sustainable agriculture methods. Researchers involved in this effort are experimenting with ways to make agriculture more environmentally sound, economically profitable, and responsive to public concerns. Such experiments include: lagoon waste management, the use of cover crops and no-till farming methods.

Another goal of the farm, McKinnie indicates, is to keep students, faculty members, and area farmers abreast of agricultural developments. A&T's agriculture-related classes often visit the farm to conduct research and to observe the practical applications of their classroom study.

"Not everyone studying agriculture has farm experience," said McKinnie. "Many of our students need this farm as a reference point for their studies."

Likewise, many children growing up in urban areas like Greensboro have never visited a farm. For this reason, the A&T School of Agriculture hosted its first annual Animal Days, from April 24 to 26 of this year. During Animal Days, nearly 1400 elementary-school children, teachers and volunteers visited the farm for firsthand observation of animals such as hogs, sheep, horses, chickens, turkeys, and cattle.

"This outreach location, as well as the involvement of our research scientists and Extension specialists with Cherry Farm near Goldsboro, provides extended laboratories which greatly enhance student learning and our ability to offer training opportunities to area small-scale farmers," said Dr. Daniel D. Godfrey, dean of the A&T School of Agriculture.

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For more information, please contact Dr. M. Ray McKinnie, NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program, (336) 334-7691.