In many ways, it’s the rituals that make summer field days so memorable. From loading the trailers to examining the research plots to reconnecting with friends to wrapping up with a memorable meal, summer field days are reminiscent of church socials and county fairs.

Management experts often cite Disney World as a well-oiled machine that leaves no detail unnoticed. A good customer experience is paramount. Disney is known for doing more than just meeting customer satisfaction, but actually exceeding it. It is the key to their success.

In many ways summer field days, such as the Blackland Farm Managers Tour held on Aug. 7 the Coastal Carolina Gin in Fairfield, N.C., and the Pee Dee Research Center Field Day, held Aug. 29 in Darlington, S.C., mirrors that Disney success.

Thanks to the hard work of Extension agents, no detail goes unnoticed. The logistics are quite amazing, from transporting participants to each research plot to making sure no one goes home hungry, Extension deserves credit for doing what they do so well. On top of that, a highlight and ritual of the Blackland Farm Managers Tour is the homemade peach and butter pecan ice cream made and served by retired Beaufort County Extension Agent Gaylon Ambrose each year. What more could you ask?

The content presented at the field days is beyond measure. There is no better way to learn about the latest research than to see it first-hand and hear first-hand from the scientists that do the work. Again, that’s the beauty of Extension field days. Information is dispersed directly to the farmers who need it and can use it in their operations.

It’s just what Seaman A. Knapp, who promoted the idea of demonstration farms in the late 19^th and early 20^th Century and initiated the county agent plan in 1906, had in mind. Knapp would be impressed with what is done today.

The City Council doesn’t sit around praising the pipes that bring water to homes and businesses across town, and the hard work of Extension agents often goes unheralded. These agents are a valuable pipeline that delivers relevant information and their contributions often go unnoticed, particularly the work they do in making sure field days run smoothly.