We’re starting a new series on our blog, which will be shared on the second Tuesday of each month. The posts for “Talking Shop“, written by Cody McClain, a junior in agriscience education, will discuss the history of farm shop and farm mechanics as related to the history of the Department and the agricultural education profession.
In the Department, we’re celebrating 100 years of cultivating educators, communicators and leaders. Cody has led much of the historical research for our celebration and we can’t wait to share information, facts and photos from our first 100 years!
Take a minute and get to know Cody, then come back to check out our first post!
I’m Cody McClain, and a student at The Ohio State University studying agriscience education. Since I was in the fifth grade, I aimed to be a high school math teacher, but my final experiences in an agricultural education program inspired me to pursue a career in teaching agriculture.
My passion for agriculture stems from a deep pride of being raised on a grain farm in Wyandot County, where I learned the joys and discomforts of agriculture life and developed a passion for agriculture. The experiences of growing and harvesting corn and soybeans, scouting fields for weeds, servicing tractors and plows, and much more farming task have cultivated my passion for the agricultural industry and most importantly, I have a passion for agricultural education.
By studying agriscience education at Ohio State, I have had the opportunity to discover and deepen my interest and skills in learning and teaching science, math, and technical knowledge in agriculture. Taking a small engines course at Ohio State ATI sparked my interest studying agricultural mechanics and technology and preparing myself to teach this subject.
People and passion have guided my purpose in pursuing a career in agricultural education, and my career goal is focused on making a difference in students’ lives through education. I am looking forward to teaching and sharing my passion for agricultural mechanics and technology and provide them with opportunities for successful futures.
As a student in the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL), I have had opportunity to research and organize the history of department and agricultural education for the centennial celebration. Along with the departmental research, I have focused on researching the history of farm shop and mechanics in agricultural education. Agricultural mechanics has rich history of traditions, challenges, and advancements, which have impacted the futures of young agriculturist and improved farming practices for many community farmers.
McClain
McClain instructs students in a small engines lesson during his early field experience.
This post is the first in a series on our blog. To read all of the posts on the history of agricultural mechanics throughout the last 100 years, visit our archives.