Northeast Georgia Ag Expo Returns to Hart County This Weekend

The Northeast Georgia Ag Expo returns Saturday to the Hart County Charter System Agriscience Center from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Grayson Williams is the Director of Community Relations for the Hart County Charter System.

Sponsored by the Hart County Charter School, the Georgia Farm Bureau, and facilitated by the University of Georgia’s Archway Partnership, Williams says the second annual Ag Expo will feature indoor and outdoor ag exhibits, a speaker panel, free activities for kids, food, and an Antique Tractor Show.

“We had our first one last year and it was really successful; about 300 people came out. We heard a lot of great things. Kids really loved the demonstrations. And we’ll see a lot of those things this year. There’s a lot of new participants so we’re really excited about that,” Williams said.

There will also be panel discussions with local agricultural experts and attendees can ask the experts questions and have an open discussion about local agriculture.

“It’s kind of an open panel discussion; really whatever the audience wants to hear about. We’ll have somebody representing row crops, someone representing cattle farming, and somebody representing poultry. So whatever questions that the audience wants to bring, they will certainly be glad to discuss those topics,” he said.

Additionally, a variety of agricultural exhibits and demonstrations will be on display for the public.

Folks will get to see up close commercial farm vehicles and equipment, and professors from the University of Georgia will also be at the Ag Expo covering several different topics including Poultry and Forestry.

Williams said Hart EMC and Georgia Power will provide electricity demonstrations and a rainfall simulator demonstration is also planned for the event.

A rainfall simulator is used in soil science and hydrology to study how soil reacts to rainfall and is useful for explaining how fertilizer may run off and be washed away rather than supplying nutrients to crops.

Coming back this year is the Antique Tractor Show, which was a popular attraction during the first annual Northeast Georgia Ag Expo in 2021.

Multiple awards were given out to participants last year, and awards are planned for this year’s event as well.

Last year, Brian McGee took home the “People’s Choice Award” in the Antique Tractor Show, as well as the “Oldest Tractor Award”, with his 1934 John Deere Unstyled A tractor.

Tractors are typically considered “antique” once they are 25 years old or older.

To register for the Antique Tractor Show, you can call Community Relations Director Grayson Williams at 706-371-2555.

Paper registrations can also be picked up at the Hart County Board of Education office located at 284 Campbell Drive, Hartwell.

Admission is free to the Northeast Georgia Ag Expo and parking will be at the Hart County Agriscience Center located at 1951 Bowman Highway.

The 2022 Northeast Georgia Ag Expo is sponsored by Hart County Farm Bureau and the Hart County Charter System,