Press contact: Kyla Kruse

SPRINGFIELD — Thirty Lincoln Land Community College students participated in a 10-day agricultural industry tour in Ireland May 13-23. 

Tour stops included Kilkenny Mart to watch a sheep and dairy cow sale, visits to local farmers’ beef and dairy operations, and Castlecor Potatoes where a father-and-son team showcased their farm and packaging facility for potatoes and onions. Students had the opportunity to see Macroom Buffalo, which is the only water buffalo milk farm in Ireland, watched as the buffalo came in for milking and sampled the farm’s cheese products. Students also visited Fernville Connemara Pony Stud, which specializes in the Connemara Pony Breed, and toured an aquaculture company dedicated to the cultivation of abalone. 

The trip also included visits to iconic locations and historic sites including the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher, Rock of Cashel, the Blarney stone at Blarney Castle, Clonmacnoise and EPIC – the Irish Emigration Museum. The immersive and educational experience totaled over 1,000 miles and allowed students to see agricultural, cultural and historical sites in Ireland. 

The LLCC Agriculture study abroad experience was made possible by the Kreher Agricultural Trust.

Participating students by hometown:
Athens: Luke Adams, Wyatt Mahoney
Atlanta: Kylie Schakel
Auburn: Klayton Komnick
Bucyrus, Ohio: Liz Hayden
Buffalo: Morgan Edwards
Chatham: Caedyn Finneran
Crawfordsville, Ind.: Hadley Broadwater
Darlington, Wisc.: Morgan Black
Eldred: Wes Bland
Franklin: Matt Crow
Hettick: Logan Armstrong
Hicksville, Ohio: Kaitlyn Zeedyk
Lafayette, Ind.: Mallory Bowers
Manchester: Peri Andras
Marion, Ohio: Grace McCurdy
Pawnee: Natalie Lavin
Pleasant Plains: Elisabeth Lee
Raymond: Will Jenkins, Maggie McClelland, Brittany Slightom
Rochester: Alex Sidener
Springfield: Maycee Cordes, Blaine Gilley, George Jacaway IV, Genesis Stockton
Taylorville: Cole Repscher
Thomas, Okla.: Shaylee Maddox
Virden: Pierce Gwinn
Warrensburg: Lizzy Hoppe