What: Florida 4-H Howdy Days
Where: Miami Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition, 10901 SW 24th Street, Miami
When: March 17 and 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Media RSVP Contact: Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu or 954-242-8439.
About:
Many youth don’t feel connected with the food they eat or how it’s grown, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To combat this issue, Florida 4-H has partnered with the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair Expo to present Howdy Days – a hands-on, educational initiative that has engaged students for over 20 years. This annual, two-day program, led by Florida 4-H volunteers and members, offers students in grades K-8 an opportunity to learn where their food comes from and the professions that make it happen.
Howdy Days connects youth to local food systems through interactive stations. Students will rotate through activities like milking cows and goats, making butter, identifying fruits and vegetables, learning about beneficial and harmful insects, practicing food safety and exploring plant anatomy. Each 10-minute session aims to provide practical, memorable lessons that students can take home with them.
On March 17 and 18, from 9 a.m. to 1p.m., more than 300 students from Miami-Dade County public and charter schools will attend a 70-minute session filled with activities that will teach them:
- Where does the milk you buy at the supermarket come from?
- How is butter purchased at the supermarket made?
- What are parts of a plant and how to grow food from a Dutch bucket?
- What are local food systems and what is their role in our communities?
- What are examples of sustainable agriculture in South Florida?
“Many young students have never seen a real farm animal or understand where their food comes from. Through Howdy Days, kids engage with live animals, learn about food production, and interact with experts to gain a deeper appreciation for the journey that food takes from farm to table,” said Whtiney Thames, Florida 4H agent at UF/IFAS Extension Miami Dade County and workforce development specialist.
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
ABOUT FLORIDA 4-H
4-H is the youth development program of the land-grant university system and Cooperative Extension System. The program provides hands-on educational programs and experiences for youth ages 5 to 18 with the objective of developing youth as individuals, and as responsible and productive citizens. In Florida, 4-H is administered by University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University.
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