MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia University’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design demonstrated a piece of what life is like on the farm on Saturday.

WVU’s first Farm Fest took place on Oct. 14 at the Animal Science Research, Education and Outreach Center in Morgantown with well over 400 individuals in attendance.

The purpose behind Farm Fest was to showcase all that WVU’s Davis College studies and works around revolving agriculture and the functional life that surrounds it.

Farm Fest featured a variety of different hands-on, interactive stations throughout the farm that the public was more than welcome to get into and learn about. A few activities included: sheep sheering, spinning and weaving wool, an indigo dye station, an interactive soil walkthrough and an insect petting zoo.

Hearts of Gold Service Dogs also had its own station where the public met different service dogs, heard their stories and learned about their importance. In conjunction with WVU’s Davis College, the Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative also had its hand in assisting with the Farm Fest events.

12 News spoke with Sven Verlinden, Director of WVU Research Education and Outreach Centers, on why the college chose to host this event.

“We have had events at the farm before, but this is kind of the first time that we’re trying to showcase everything that the Davis College does, because after Covid, we wanted to really interact with people again. This is kind of a fun, hands-on place to come and kind of showcase or see what we’re all about,” Verlinden said.

Each person who came to Farm Fest went home with a plant and a West Virginia hydroponic-grown tomato to savor all the lessons and fun that came with the event.

Although this was the first Farm Fest for WVU’s Davis College, it will not be the last. Verlinden mentioned that with such a positive turn out on Saturday, the college hopes to continue this tradition annually.