‘Always a story to tell’: UK Robinson Center offers hub for history, learning at annual event

QUICKSAND, Ky. (Nov. 3, 2025) — More than 2,500 people from the local community, including producers, families and youth, recently attended the annual Mountain Ag Week and Field Day events at the University of Kentucky Robinson Center, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE). Attendees learned about the Robinson Center’s rich history while participating in free events including Win with Wood, Youth Science Day, Pumpkin Day and Field Day.

“We are pleased to share that these events broke attendance records this year,” said Daniel Wilson, Robinson Center director. “We remain thankful to the University of Kentucky, our college, and Extension agents and administration that allowed us to rebuild following the 2022 floods in Kentucky — providing the level of programs that we have today. Events like this happen because of our amazing team coming together.”

The gathering spot this year was at the Robinson Center Pavilion, one of the newest permanent structures rebuilt following the massive flood of 2022.

For Rhonda Linkous, one of the event organizers, this installation was a game changer.

“It’s a hub where we can bring everyone together, rain or shine,” Linkous said. “There was one day that was projected to have rain in the forecast, but canceling or postponing was not an option. Because of the pavilion, we were still able to have the event, which turned out to be very successful.”

Mountain Ag Week and Robinson Center Field Day

Leading up to the Field Day finale, Mountain Ag Week was filled with other events to help the community learn more about the Robinson Center. 

The Win with Wood competition offered a unique opportunity for students from Breathitt, Knott, Lee and Mercer counties to compete in fun events including wildlife and forestry equipment identification, invasive species, tree measurement, log rolling and bolt tossing. 

Pumpkin Day gave families and their children an opportunity to play in the pumpkin patch and take home their own pumpkin. Other activities included storytelling, pumpkin tastings, artwork, musical apples, livestock displays and wagon rides.

Youth Science Day gave elementary school students from surrounding counties an opportunity to learn about the power of science at different learning stations facilitated by Extension agents. Educational topics included electrical circuitry, hydroponics, microgreens and tree identification.

Chuck Stamper, UK Extension special projects coordinator at Martin-Gatton CAFE, was proud of all the Mountain Ag Week events and the commitment to Kentucky 4-H Youth Development.

“Over the past 20 years, we have worked at the Robinson Center to develop learning experiences and programs for youths from across the Appalachian Region,” Stamper said. “We want our youth to learn about their environment while developing a sense of place about the region, and we’ve seen thousands participate in the programs over the years. Our goal in the 4-H Program is not just to get the youth ready; we want them to be Beyond Ready to lead the region in the future.”

The Field Day provided a series of engagement opportunities with staff and field experts at the Robinson Center outreach facility, which included Robinson Farm tours and interactive demonstrations. These included soybean and hemp trials, the Kentucky Logging Bridge Program and the Robinson Wood Utilization Center, which offered a hands-on workshop on building a cedar birdhouse made from local and renewable softwood.

For Zoey Ortega, a current undergraduate student at Martin-Gatton CAFE, the wooden birdhouse was a valuable takeaway.

“I always enjoy learning about the exciting projects and research happening at UK,” Ortega said. “Visiting the Robinson Center for the first time, it was great not only to learn about the impactful work being done there but also to create and take home a product. It really brought the whole experience together.”

Wilson believes that these events show the best of what the Robinson Center offers, leading many in the community to return and experience more each year.

“There’s so much that people don’t know about the Robinson Center, but once you do, you will want to come back and bring someone with you,” Wilson said. “The Robinson Center continues to be a cornerstone for the East Region, the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the University of Kentucky.”

Linkous added, “There’s always a story to tell at the Robinson Center.”

The Robinson Center team plans to continue this annual event in Fall 2026. Learn more about the Robinson Center at https://robinson-center.mgcafe.uky.edu and its current rebuilding efforts at https://future.mgcafe.uky.edu/projects/robinson-center.