The Hoosier Farmer

Each Indiana county has a unique way to celebrate and promote agriculture. In Shelby County, more than 460 people gathered to visit with friends, businesses and county organizations on March 4 at Horseshoe Racing & Casino.

The Taste of Shelby County Agriculture is an annual, high-profile banquet in Shelbyville that supports the local FFA, funds agricultural scholarships, and celebrates the community's rural heritage. The event is hosted by Shelby County Ag Promotion.

“It's unique to the state and we've been doing it for 24 years,” said Shelby County Ag Promotion President Cindy Ramsey. “We're thankful to get our agricultural community together to share information, to network together. That's a big part of tonight – that hour and a half before dinner is talking, sharing and seeing each other again and things you don't get to do very often in this community because it's too big.”

Shelby County Farm Bureau President Megan Platt agreed that the evening was a chance to catch-up with colleagues and meet others in the industry.

“This event is special for us because in the respective area, we're the only county that high-lights agricultural like this. It gives big and small businesses and operations one spot where they can take a breath, get together and mingle,” she said. “I think it's fun because you get to shake hands with a lot of people that it might take several emails to get a hold of or lots of trips around the county and now they're in one spot. You get to have a little conversation here, have a little conversation there and keep a connection with all your contacts.”

This year’s speakers included a state agriculture update from Indiana Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb and Farm Progress Broadcast Director and Host of “This Week in Agriculture” Mike Pearson.

The event raises funds for the county’s Ag Safety Day in April for fourth graders.

“We bring them to a local church here in town. We have 12 different stations where we give them different agricultural information and try and let them know what's going on in their community and what could be coming for them and the future,” Ramsey said.

Proceeds are also used to award two $500 renewable scholarships, up to $2,000 per student. This year’s recipients were Farah Coen and Emma Firebaugh, both are daughters of Shelby County Farm Bureau members and seniors at Triton Central High School.

“Emma and I were actually together when we found out we won the scholarships, so it was kind of funny,” Coen said. “I’m really honored. I feel like that that's a big part of our community here in Shelby County – we give back to the people that support us.”

Coen attended the event as part of the Shelby County Farm Bureau Youth Advisory Board.

“I really enjoy talking to other people who are involved in the ag industry,” she said. “It's really nice talking to people who are just as empowered as I am about this – and it goes beyond just our county. It’s really nice to know that as a student, I am supported by people like this, and I'm pushed forward to do good things.”

Coen, the daughter of Keith and Jill Coen, is the granddaughter of John Carson who previously won the event’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Carson was a previous board member who had the idea of the taste event, changing it from a “farmer’s share” breakfast.

“My dad was on the original Shelby County Ag Promo team, so it’s kind of full circle. It's pretty exciting, his granddaughter got one of the scholarships for something that he started,” Jill said. “We still continue to come every year, because obviously, we're going to support this event, this organization that promotes agriculture in Shelby County.”

Jill said the event, even when it was a breakfast at the fairgrounds, has always attracted a large number of attendees.

“When it first started, it was mostly just farmers and a few agriculture businesses. Now, it's every aspect of our culture – it’s political figures, it’s still the farmers and different agricultural businesses. It’s not just seed dealerships but crop insurance, there's a ton of different businesses here,” she said.

The farmers breakfast tradition also continues. Shelby County Farm Bureau Youth Advisory Board hosted its latest event on March 28 featuring biscuits and gravy, eggs and bacon. Youth collected food items and donations for admission to gift to a local cause.

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Robert Herrington

(317) 692-7871

RHerrington@infb.org