Editor’s note: Husker Harvest Days is Sept. 10-12 in Grand Island, Neb. Visit HuskerHarvestDays.com.

Nebraska FFA members will flock to Grand Island on the second day of the show to take over Husker Harvest Days.

With canned food in tow, members fulfill part of the FFA motto — “living to serve” — by donating food to local food pantries. But they also complete another part, “learning to do,” by walking the show site to learn about new technology and careers in agriculture.

“My favorite part about Husker Harvest Days is seeing the wide array of booths that are available for us. As a teacher, I learn a lot about new technology and upcoming events,” says Ashton Bohling, an ag educator at Johnson-Brock High School. “I like for my students to see how important agriculture is and how there are careers in every area for them to participate in.”

Here are the three features of Husker Harvest Days that rose to the top for Nebraska FFA members and advisors:

1. Career exploration. Students who attend HHD participate in a scavenger hunt provided by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In the search to mark businesses off their list, they learn more about what careers are available in the ag industry.

“I love going out to Husker Harvest Days because it is a great opportunity to take time and talk to professionals in multiple careers in agriculture,” says Gretchen Anthony, a student and FFA member at Johnson-Brock.

2. Hands-on demos. When students take a break from searching for new careers, the members of the Johnson County Central FFA chapter like to look at the different demonstrations around the show site.

Kaiden Dorn, a JCC FFA member, likes watching the cattle-handling demos and learning about new livestock technology.

But if agronomy interests FFA students, there are many ways for students to learn. “When I go out to Husker Harvest Days, I like learning about grain bins and grain bin safety,” says Kayden Badertscher, an FFA member at JCC.

The corn and hay demos also draw a lot of attention from students, with new tractors and combines on display. “My favorite part about HHD is watching the new combine and tractor demos and talking with representatives on new technologies,” says Levi Othmer, an FFA member at JCC.

3. Networking opportunities. Dawn Metschke, FFA advisor at Johnson-Brock, finds it rewarding for students to see industry leaders from southeast Nebraska make the trip out to the show. Whether students are looking to the future for potential career connections or seeking out a new supervised agricultural experience, the industry professionals who students meet can prove to be valuable contacts.

FFA members also can be on the lookout for future SAE projects. “One of the reasons that I bring students to Husker Harvest Days is for them to discover new ideas for SAEs and agriscience fair projects,” says Christy Hodges, an ag educator at JCC.

Once students interact with vendors and industry leaders across the show site, they can hear from Nebraska FFA state officers in the Hospitality Tent at 1 p.m. Sept. 11.

For the students of Johnson-Brock and Johnson County Central, Husker Harvest Days is more than just missing a day of school; it’s about exposing the next generation to their future in agriculture.