In the community

people sitting in grandstand using LLCC fansLLCC Ag and LLCC-Taylorville partnered to be a sponsor of the Christian County Ag Fair this year. As part of the sponsorship, LLCC banners were placed at the main entrances of the fair and the Ag Building, LLCC was announced as a sponsor during the grandstand events and hand-held fans were disbursed during the Little Miss, Jr. Miss and Miss Christian County queen pageants.

Ag communications judges needed

LLCC Agriculture is hosting the Illinois FFA State Ag Communications Contest on June 13 and 14, and we need a few more judges.

On June 13, teams will be working on their individual practicums which consist of web design, video production, writing a feature story or writing a blog post. After the students are done with their area, I will email the student work and scoresheets to judges to evaluate and score. We are looking for three judges willing to judge the individual practicums remotely.

On June 14, teams will be presenting their marketing plan to a panel of judges at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel next to the BOS Center. Judging will begin at 8:30 a.m. and go through 3:30/4 p.m. with lunch and snacks/drinks provided. We are looking for one or two judges willing to judge the team presentations.

Please email Bill Harmon or Holly Bauman if you are interested in helping or have questions.

Thanks!

LLCC Livestock Judging Contest

Many students gathered outside for the LLCC Livestock Judging Contest
Over 750 FFA and 4-H members from Illinois and Indiana participated in the 24th annual Lincoln Land Community College Livestock Judging Contest yesterday at the Christian County Fairgrounds in Taylorville. Over 100 high schools and 4-H clubs were represented. The contest was provided by the LLCC Livestock Judging Team and Agriculture Club.

Contestants judged nine classes of beef, swine, sheep and goats. They were evaluating the animals on their quality as either breeding stock or for meat. Livestock judging teaches students critical thinking skills, public speaking and can lead to collegiate scholarships.

WCIA reported on the event.

Cattle in show ring. Students watching.Goats in show ring. Students watchingSwine in show ring. Students watching.Sheep in show ring. Students watching

LLCC Agriculture Club wins awards at national PAS conference

Photo of 12 LLCC ag club students who competed in the national PAS conference

Back row, L-R: Fuller Anderson, Luke Adams, Wyatt Buckles, Shawn Goebel, Jacob Peters, Charlie Gum, Clayton Walch. Front row, L-R: Morgan Black, Elizabeth Lee, Mackenzie Harmon, Kylie Schakel, Meadow Sporrer.

Twelve LLCC Agriculture Club members competed at the National Professional Agriculture Student (PAS) Conference held March 16-19 in Minneapolis, Minn. with more than 450 college students from across the country. The contests are designed to test their knowledge and readiness for their future careers.

The LLCC swine specialist team of Morgan Black (Springfield), Jacob Peters (New Berlin) and Mackenzie Harmon (Morrisonville) placed second overall. Black also placed second individually.

The college bowl team of Peters, Kylie Schakel (Springfield), Luke Adams (Athens), Clayton Walch (Raymond), Harmon and Fuller Anderson (Atwater) placed third for the second year in a row. Also placing third was the LLCC sheep specialist team of Schakel, Adams and Elizabeth Lee (Springfield).

The soil specialist team of Walch, Meadow Sporrer (Springfield) and Anderson placed fourth. Walch also placed third individually. LLCC’s crop specialist team took seventh place. Team members were Shawn Goebel (Harvel), Wyatt Buckles (Mechanicsburg) and Charlie Gum (Petersburg).

In the employment interview competition, Walch, Adams and Lee won first place in their divisions. Schakel placed second, and Anderson placed eighth.

Harmon earned second place honors in the agriculture education teaching event.

PAS is a career and technical student organization for college students interested in agriculture. In addition to competitive events, the national conference provides an opportunity for students to attend leadership and career development workshops.

LLCC Ag hosts Professional Agriculture Student competition

The LLCC agriculture program hosted 122 students from 10 Illinois colleges and universities for the recent Illinois Professional Agriculture Student (PAS) Annual Conference in the college’s new Kreher Agriculture Center.

The event brought agriculture students together to compete in career preparation events and develop leadership skills. Twenty-two LLCC students participated in a variety of contests for the privilege of representing Illinois at the National PAS Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. in March.

Individual LLCC results:

Mackenzie Harmon, Morrisonville, second place in Agriculture Education Contest; Kylie Schakel, Atlanta, Ind., third place in Prepared Public Speaking.

LLCC team event results:

Crop Specialist: first place. Individual placings: Clayton Walch, Raymond, first place; Fuller Anderson, Atwater, fifth place; Charlie Gum, Talulla, ninth place; Shawn Goebel, Harvel, 11th place; Wyatt Buckles, Mechanicsburg, 12th place.

College Bowl: second place. Team members include: Mackenzie Harmon; Luke Adams, Athens; Clayton Walch; Kylie Schakel; Jake Peters, New Berlin; Fuller Anderson; Meadow Sporrer, Springfield.

Sheep Specialist: second place. Individual placings: Emma Peters, Versailles, Ohio, second place; Breanna Knittel, Greenfield, third place; Shaylee Maddox, Thomas, Okla., third place; Cole Ellerbrock, Atkinson, fifth place; Evan McClain, Anderson, Ind., ninth place; Kylie Schakel,10th place.

Soil Specialist: second place. Individual placings: Clayton Walch, first place; Fuller Anderson, fifth place; Meadow Sporrer, seventh place; Yves Doumen-Nyansi, Springfield, 10th place; Ryan McGrew, Goodhope, 15th place.

Overall Livestock Specialist: third place. Individual placings: Jett Vickery, Taylorville; Tommy Tarr, Dawson; Sam Stickley, St. Paris, Ohio, tied for ninth place.

Swine Specialist: third place. Individual placings: Makenzie Hereth, Woodbine, Md., second place; Morgan Black, Darlington, Wis., third place; Brooklyn Wurm, Monroeville Ind., 10th place.

Mr. Greenwood visits Kreher Agriculture Center

Mr. Eldon Greenwood shaking hands with Bill Harmon in front of the new Kreher Agriculture CenterIt was an honor this week to welcome Mr. Eldon Greenwood, the last surviving founding member of the LLCC Board of Trustees, to campus to visit the new Kreher Agriculture Center. He’s shown here with Bill Harmon, professor of agronomy.

 

Posted in Ag |

Ag Club invites potential members to cookout

Please share with students that the LLCC Agriculture Club is inviting all students interested in becoming members of the club to a cookout this Friday, Aug. 27 at noon in the Kreher Ag Center. They look forward to seeing all returning and potential new club members!

Springfield Urban League youth visit LLCC

Youth from the Springfield Urban League visited the LLCC campus yesterday, taking a tour and learning about concurrent enrollment and career training programs. The session was part of a three-week series LLCC has provided this summer to share the many opportunities the college has to offer.

During the session on agriculture, students toured the simulation and soils labs and took part in hands-on activities, including practicing their drone flying skills!

Springfield Urban League youth learning about flying dronesBill Harmon showing the combine simulator to pringfield Urban League youthSpringfield Urban League youth learning about animal anatomyBill Harmon conducting a soils experiment for Springfield Urban League youth.

 

In the news

Bill Harmon, professor of agronomy, was interviewed by WICS/FOX Illinois about the campus visit made by Springfield Urban League youth to learn about hands-on training programs, including the many opportunities in agriculture. The State Journal-Register also covered the event.

Jay Kitterman, consultant, LLCC Culinary Institute, wrote today’s Epicuriosity 101 column in the State Journal-Register entitled, “Gazpachos are a summertime favorite.”