By Brooke Beam, Ph.D.

Ohio State University Extension, Highland County

VERSAILLES — Ohio State University Extension is pleased to announce the donation of a trailer from Fullenkamp’s Frenchtown Trailer Sales & Supply Company of Versailles, Ohio, to transport the iFarm Immersive Theatre. The iFarm Immersive Theatre is an immersive educational theatre that allows participants to experience programming in a setting similar to an IMAX theatre or a planetarium.

The iFarm Immersive Theatre was developed by Dr. Brooke Beam, the OSU Extension Agricultural and Natural Resources/Community Development Educator in Highland County, in 2021 and had its debut at the annual Farm Science Review in September. All of the films shown in the iFarm Immersive Theatre have been made by OSU Extension staff. The films feature a variety of agricultural and natural resource-related topics relevant to Ohio residents, ranging from aquaculture to crop and livestock production to Ohio’s wildlife.

The immersive theatre is approximately 30 feet in diameter and 15 feet tall, providing enough space for entire classrooms of students to actively participate and view the immersive experiences.

With the use of the trailer, the iFarm Immersive Theatre will be able to travel throughout Ohio and share these immersive experiences across the state. The iFarm Immersive Theatre is scheduled to be available for the public to experience at the Ohio State Fair and Farm Science Review in 2022 and many local events throughout the state. If you are interested in having the iFarm Immersive Theatre at an event in your community, contact Dr. Brooke Beam via email at [email protected] or by phone at 937-393-1918 to discuss the logistics of hosting the immersive theatre.