Prepare

Students quickly learned that farming is not as simple as tossing seed into the ground and hoping for the best. Every successful crop starts with a strong foundation: the proper seedbed. 

They explored how different soils require different tillage practices and how today’s equipment can be programmed to make adjustments based on soil type and moisture conditions. Hands-on manual tillage activities also helped students understand that the right tool truly matters for the right job. 

Plant 

Planting is much more than the Lorax saying, “Let it grow!” Modern planters are highly advanced machines and often the final checkpoint before seed enters the soil. 

Students learned about the many factors involved in planting success. Residue management can help soils warm faster. Proper trench depth ensures seeds are planted at the ideal level for better emergence. Correct spacing allows each plant room to grow, and proper seed-to-soil contact gives crops the best start possible. Nutrients can also be applied during planting to feed the crop right away. 

To bring the lesson to life, students became “human planters,” placing seed by hand at optimal spacing to learn how precision leads to maximum yield. 

Protect and Nurture 

Just like people, every field is different. Students learned that crops and soils require varying nutrients, while weeds and pests create challenges that must be managed. 

Demonstrations showed how sprayers operate, including advanced “See and Spray” technology that targets weeds while reducing waste. Students competed in races while riding shop creepers, spraying only the weeds they spotted along the course. Speed, accuracy, and teamwork were all put to the test. 

Harvest 

Not all crops are harvested the same way. Students discovered that today’s combines can monitor crop conditions and automatically adjust settings for maximum performance and yield. 

They also tested their own skills by hand-shelling corn and comparing their threshing speed to a combine. While the students worked hard, the combine was still the clear champion. 

A Day of Learning and Fun 

PVE Academy Day was filled with hands-on learning, laughter, and real conversations about the future of agriculture. Students walked away with a better understanding of how technology is transforming farming each season. Events like this help connect the next generation to the opportunities found in agriculture today. And if you were wondering—yes, the green sprayer still won.