INDIANAPOLIS — Thanks to a long-term investment by Indiana soybean farmers, from Aug. 4 to 20, visitors to the Indiana State Fair will once again have the opportunity to gain a transparent look at modern farming at the Glass Barn.
“The Glass Barn is an opportunity to celebrate Indiana agriculture, connect with the public, and see checkoff dollars in action” said Craig Williams, chair of ISA’s communications committee and a farmer from Oaktown, Ind. “With the Glass Barn being in its fifth year at the Indiana State Fair, we continue to connect Indiana consumers to the mere two percent of the population who live on farms.”
ISA wants Indiana soybean farmers to participate in the activities at the Glass Barn, and there are several ways to be involved.
- Volunteer for a four-hour shift during the 17 days of the Indiana State Fair. Contact Kelsey Lennon at klennon@indianasoybean.com or visit http://glassbarn.org/connect-with-us/bean-team-volunteer/ to sign up by July 14. Volunteers receive a ticket to the Fair, a T-shirt and a free meal.
- Share a recent photo of your family farm to be featured in the Glass Barn. Email them to glassbarn@indianasoybean.com by July 21.
- Visit the Glass Barn and bring a friend. The Glass Barn is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily during the Indiana State Fair, Aug. 4-20.
This is the fifth year the Glass Barn will be opening its doors to thousands of visitors during the fair and a new feature has been added. Guests will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of modern agriculture through virtual reality. By looking through the lenses of virtual reality glasses, visitors can immerse themselves into a hog farm to get a first-hand understanding of what farmers are doing every day.
Funded by soy checkoff dollars through the ISA, the Glass Barn is an interactive exhibit building on the north side of the state fairgrounds. The exhibits feature Indiana farm families while highlighting the practices and technology used to keep Indiana’s agriculture producing.
To learn more about the Glass Barn, visit www.glassbarn.org.
— Indiana Soybean Alliance