Students learn about popcorn during annual Farm Day

FLORENCE - Weeden fourth-grader Dequese Seay couldn't remember ever seeing a popcorn plant growing anywhere before Thursday.

"I guess I've just never thought about it," he said. "But it is my favorite food."

Seay and the rest of the Weeden student body learned about the popcorn-growing process during the school's sixth annual observance of Farm Day, part of the Alabama State Farm Week.

The school's Title I teacher, Nancy McClanahan, organizes the program each year as part of her Ag in the Classroom event, which is funded through a $500 grant from the state's Farmers Federation.

Thursday's guest speaker was Jordan Hamner, a fourth-generation farmer in Lauderdale County. Hamner told the students he farms soybeans, wheat, milo, corn and popcorn. But it was the popcorn that drew the most interest from the young crowd.

Hamner showed the students slides of large farm equipment and how the harvesting process works.

He also shared some little known facts about popcorn, like the fact that inside the hard shell is water.

When he asked who knew the popcorn seed contained moisture, no hands were raised.

"About three to five pounds of popcorn is planted per acre," he said.

He told the audience that he first got interested in farming around the age of 11. His farming experience includes the raising of chickens, cows, goats and "any crop that grows in northwest Alabama."

He is vice president and plant manager of Clemmons and Hamner Seed in Killen.

For Seay, the presentation about his favorite food was enlightening. He said he never imagined the equipment used in planting and harvesting was so big.

"The thing that really surprised me is how they have to clean the popcorn," he said. "I never thought about it, but I'm glad it's clean."

At the conclusion of the program, students ate popcorn in their classroom.

"We knew popcorn would be a big hit with the kids, but the main point of this program every year is to raise the children's awareness of farming," McClanahan said. "Hopefully, out of all these programs we've done, we'll get some farmers out of the group."

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735 or lisa.singleton-Rickman@timesdaily.com.