Youth attending the July 20 Field Day at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center will find an abundance of activities.

This is the third time youth activities have been included in the field day and the first time a farm tour specifically for young people has been planned.

"So many of the youths are involved on the farm and the activities give them something to do," said Paula Howe, youth activities chairwoman. "Plus, for children not on the farm everyday, it is a chance to showcase how agriculture affects their lives."

Youth activities are coordinated by the 4-H/Youth Development extension agents from the Purchase, Pennyrile and Green River areas.

This year's youth tour, conducted by 4-H agents, will take children to the orchard for a visit with Apple Annie. Other stops will be to view beef cattle, swine and crop production.

"The agents felt like it was hard to give young people the visual image of a farm without going out on the tours," Howe said.

There are 14 other production tours geared toward adults.

"Usually when children go on tours, it is with their parents and it may be at a level they cannot understand," Howe said.

This year's youth tour should change that.

After the tour, children will be given a paper to fill out to see what they learned.

Other youth activities will be under a tent near the white tobacco barn. Here children who arrive early can fix their own omelet for breakfast or they can make lip balm from soybean products. There will be a miniature chicken house with baby chicks hatching, a water quality demonstration and an insect tattoo parlor. Children can get the temporary tattoos, if they have visited the entomology exhibit.

Safety will also be center stage with demonstrations on equine safety, electrical and fire safety and a dangerous look alike demonstration. This shows children that what they think might be one thing can actually be something else such as medicine instead of candy. Children will also get to try their skills on a lawn tractor driving course.

Howe said the biennial field day always attracts large crowds and the 1998 event saw between 300 and 400 youths visit the displays.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Youth tours will be at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The field day will be at the UKREC on Kentucky 91, 1.5 miles southeast of the Caldwell County Courthouse in Princeton.