CALEDONIA — Haldimand County Grade 5 students had the opportunity to learn firsthand where their food comes from during Agstravaganza, a special agriculture education event held on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at the Riverside Exhibition Centre and Fairgrounds in Caledonia.
Students rotated through nine learning stations covering dairy, poultry, pork, beef, sheep, equipment, agronomy (soil and crops), apiary, and drones. Each station offered hands-on demonstrations and interactive lessons designed to connect classroom learning with real-world agriculture.
More than 40 volunteers came together to make the event a success, guiding students and answering questions to highlight the importance of food production and the agri-food industry.
CALEDONIA—Rainham Central students learn about poultry in one of the stations at Agstravaganza. 
CALEDONIA—Dairy farmer and volunteer Mark McCutcheon showing how much suction there is on a milker with Lloyd S. King students at Agstravaganza. 
CALEDONIA—Austin learning about equipment at Agstravaganza. —Haldimand Press photos by Rachel Vaarkamp. 
CALEDONIA—Councillor John Metcalfe, MPP Bobbi Ann Brady, Councillor Debera McKeen, Jarvis Community Christian School students, and Agstravanga volunteer Brad Comfort in the sheep barn.
“A beautiful day educating the next generation on where their food comes from, as they are our future leaders! Agstravaganza was a huge success with 40-plus volunteers making it an awesome experience,” said Haldimand Agricultural Awareness Committee Secretary Henrietta Heeg.
Heeg emphasized that today’s students are further removed from agriculture than ever before, making events like this especially valuable.
“It is important to educate students through a curriculum-rooted event so that they gain respect for food production on the farm and reflect on how important the agri-food industry is to their personal health, their community, and our nation’s economy,” she said, noting that one in eight jobs in Canada is connected to agriculture.
With enthusiastic support from the community, Agstravaganza continues to inspire a deeper understanding of farming and food systems. This year the event celebrates 31 years and organizers are already looking ahead to 2026.
