Sow What?: An Agronomy Citizen Science Program.

Agronomy and soils are a critical component of ecosystem services and economic wellbeing, and an applied and integrated part of several other STEM disciplines: engineering, forestry, environmental science, physics, meteorology, agronomy, animal sciences, and more. However, the general public is unaware of the critical nature that agronomy has in everyday life, and therefore, cannot actively appreciate the critical role it plays. A six week series was offered through the Girl Scout of North Carolina Pines where up to 14 girls came and learned about soils, agronomy, and the difficulties of crop production. There were data collection, field trips, harvesting, and capstone projects that showed the girls the complexities of food production.