More than 300 people saw agriculture — and MTSU ag students — in action during the recent MTSU Farm Laboratories Open House in Lascassas, Tennessee.

MTSU faculty and staff are helping the nearly 500 School of Agribusiness and Agriscience students become leaders in their specialized areas.

The open house has become a tradition as alumni and friends of the university and the campus and Murfreesboro and Rutherford County communities converge at the farm on Guy James Road.

Farm labs Director Matthew Wade said students continue to play a vital role in the program, which includes plant and soil science, MTSU farm and dairy, honey production, animal science and more.

In addition to a picnic-style meal of hamburgers and hot dogs, chips, beverages (including MTSU chocolate milk), visitors could witness the milking of the dairy cows, see how the university’s first-ever crop of hemp and the seeds from the plant are faring and hear from some of the student organization leaders.

Doug Campbell, Department of Aerospace unmanned aerial vehicles operations manager, joined ag assistant professor and researcher Song Cui in an indoor UAV demonstration.

School of Agribusiness and Agriscience interim director Jessica Carter said plans are in place to hold the open house in mid-September 2016.

The school is one of 11 departments in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences. For more information, call 615-898-2523 or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/programs/index.php to learn about agribusiness, animal science, plant and soil science and other programs of study.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)