Pictured:  Several community members learning about and petting an alligator from the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.   

JOHNSTON – The Strom Thurmond Career & Technology Center Agriculture Department along with the Edgefield County Young Farmer Association held the 7^thAnnual Edgefield Agriculture Day this past Saturday March 9, 2019 on the campus of Strom Thurmond High School with an estimated 1200 in attendance.

“The weather started out a little slow, but by the start of the event the clouds broke and we had a gorgeous day for the event.  The weather along with several new additions to the annual line-up made this the best Ag Day to date,” said Jeremy Brooks, Agriculture Instructor and FFA Advisor at Strom Thurmond.

The event highlighted all things Edgefield this year.  We had an antique tractors show, agricultural demonstrations from both Clemson University and Piedmont Technical College, new equipment displays from Wilson Tractor and Blanchard Equipment, the NWTF air rifle trailer, the SCDNR Heritage trailer, displays by the Clemson Extension Service, Blacksmithing, Woodcarving, and Pottery Demonstrations, live music, a car show, and pony rides.

In addition to all the interactive displays going on, the festival also featured a silent auction, farmers market, cotton candy sales, BBQ prepared by the Ole Edgefield Butcher Shop, a kid’s area with inflatables and games, and spring plant sales at the FFA greenhouses.

A big thank you goes out to everyone that helped make the day possible.  Jacob Laughlin, Strom Thurmond Horticulture Instructor and FFA Advisor said, “It was great to see so much support from our community.  At times we had lines of people waiting to be checked out at the greenhouse.  It really makes the students feel proud when they see this type of support for something they helped create, grow, and organize”.