AgriLife Extension, others set schedule for 2018 San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo

Exhibits, activities, presentations will be at H-E-B Little Buckaroo Farms tent on show grounds

Writer: Paul Schattenberg, 210-631-0400, [email protected]

Contact: David Rodriguez, 210-631-0400, [email protected]

SAN ANTONIO — The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in Bexar and Guadalupe counties, along with Bexar County Master Gardeners and Alamo Area Beekeeper associations, have scheduled their activities and presentations for the 2018 San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo.

They will take place from Feb. 9-14 at the H-E-B Little Buckaroo Farms tent on the San Antonio Livestock Exposition grounds.

“Little Buckaroo Farms is a truly Texas family experience sponsored by H-E-B in cooperation with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and others,” said David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension horticulturist and an exhibit coordinator. “The exhibits offer visitors a chance to see the agricultural origins of the food and fiber needed for daily living. They also show agricultural production from farm and ranch to the kitchen table.”

Rodriguez said the Bexar County Master Gardeners association will have information and plant sale booths at the tent where visitors can ask experts about any gardening topic and purchase ornamental plants and the 2018 Sunbrite rodeo tomato.

Ruby Zavala, AgriLife Extension youth gardens coordinator, said AgriLife Extension will also host several school tours during the event.

“We will have school tours Feb. 12-16 and again Feb. 20-21,” Zavala said. “The tours are typically in the morning and we usually host 2,000-2,500 youth each tour day. Those on the tours are mainly from elementary schools in the Bexar County area, but we also have some middle-schoolers.”

Zavala said the school tours are given by volunteer 4-H members who show them around the grounds and take them to the Little Buckaroo Farms tent. At the tent, adult docents show the youth various displays and explain their significance.

Dates and times for other scheduled activities at the Little Buckaroo Farms tent include:

— Feb. 10-11 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. – Lifecycles! In this activity, children can make a sticker model of the life cycle of a butterfly, chicken, frog or plant.

— Feb. 17 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. or while supplies last – Adopt a Tree Giveaway. Small liner whip trees will be given away to homeowners looking for a new addition to their landscape. One tree per family.

— Feb 17-19 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. – Name That Veggie. A table full of vegetables will be set out for children to name as many as they can. They will also learn about vegetables and fruits.

Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. – 1.p.m. or while supplies last – Adopt a Tree Giveaway from the city of San Antonio. Trees in 1-gallon containers will be given away. One tree per family.

— Feb. 24 and 25 from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. – Pot-A-Plant. Learn the proper way to transfer a plant into a larger pot. Children learn to transfer spring flowers for each family to take home.

— Feb. 24 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. – How to Make a Rain Barrel, presented by John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, who will show how to make a rain barrel for capturing rainwater.

Rodriguez also said the tent will have displays of vegetable gardening and themed gardens as well as treats from HEB for children visiting the farm-related exhibits. He also said there will be presentations for youth and adults by AgriLife Extension professionals. The dates, times and topics will be:

— Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. – Fruit and Vegetable Jeopardy.

— Feb. 10 at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Path to the Plate.

“Path to the Plate is a research-based AgriLife Extension education program designed to help consumers understand how their food choices affect their heath,” Rodriguez said.

— Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m. – Youth Aquaculture Quiz Bowl.

— Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. – Youth Wildlife Quiz Bowl.

— Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. – 4-H Animal Projects.

— Feb. 17 at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Varying Your Veggies.

— Feb. 18 at 2:30 p.m. – Beekeeping Basics.

— Feb. 18 at 4:30 p.m. – Pollinator Gardening.

“Beekeeping and creating gardens to draw bees, butterflies and other pollinators have become popular activities,” said AgriLife Extension entomologist Molly Keck. “These presentations will provide a good introduction to both of these fun and interesting topics.”

— Feb. 19 at 2:30 p.m. – Texas Superstar Plant Program.

— Feb. 19 at 4:30 p.m. – 2018 Rodeo Tomato.

— Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m. – Path to the Plate.

— Feb. 24 at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Rainwater Harvesting.

— Feb. 25 at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Varying Your Vegetables.

Bexar County Master Gardeners and Alamo Area Beekeeper associations will also present talks for youth and adults. The times for each of these presentations will be 6:30 p.m. The dates and topics will be:

— Feb. 12 – Honey Bee Advocacy.

— Feb. 13 – Herbs.

— Feb. 14 – Honey Bee Advocacy.

— Feb. 15 – Texas Superstar Plants.

— Feb. 20 – Tomatoes.

— Feb. 22 – Rodeo Tomato.

“We hope people will come take advantage of these many fun and educational activities and presentations at the Little Buckaroo Farms tent,” Rodriguez said. “We’ll have something of interest for just about everyone.”