Lebanon High School's agriculture program has been named the top ag program in the state.

Ag teacher Mike Wilson works at the land lab full time and runs the animal science program. Lindsay Whitcomb teaches the horticulture and ag mechanics programs.

About 200 students a year take classes and work at the land lab.

One of the things that sets Lebanon's program apart is the facility.

"Our key goal is to provide a project for every student who wants one," Wilson said. "We are able to offer a lot more opportunities for kids. We have everything at our disposal."

Many other schools with land labs focus on one thing, such as crops or a greenhouse. Those with multiple enterprises, or businesses, are not as extensive as Lebanon's, Wilson said.

"They may have sheep, pigs and some cattle, but their numbers aren't near what we have," he said.

Wilson took over at the land lab six years ago from highly-regarded and now-retired teacher Charlie Clingenpeel.

Wilson was heavily involved in the Future Farmers of America when he was young. As an ag teacher, he is able to combine his interest in livestock with his love of teaching youth.

When he first arrived, the land lab was being used, but not to the extent it is now. The classroom was located at the high school. Students came out to do stuff as needed, Wilson said.

"I had a different vision for it," Wilson said. "I've tried to make it functional as a real, working farm."

He moved the classroom out to the land lab, built new facilities, refurbished old ones and changed the livestock program.

"We have the only covered riding arena in the state," Wilson said.

The lab is home for 25 head of blackface commercial sheep, a lot of pigs, four head of registered Angus cattle, four horses and a bunch of chickens.

The lab's facilities allow Wilson to offer opportunities to students that other ag programs aren't able to, he said.

Students work on projects throughout the summer, especially students with breeding projects.

Dalton Drain, 15, so far has spent eight days with farrowing sows, helping them give birth. Three new litters of piglets had arrived by July 31, and three more litters are on the way.

"We're getting to the point with our pig enterprise we can provide quality pigs to the county," Wilson said.

For the first time, Wilson said, students planted pumpkins. Should the crop be successful, students at the lab will sell them in fall.

"Best thing we're doing is making students aware of what's available out there, not only locally but globally," Wilson said.

He does not encourage his students to graduate from high school and become farmers.

"In order for them to do that, it'd have to be a family farm," he said. "For someone to go out and buy a farm and all the equipment and try and make it, that's near impossible. Go to college. Pursue a career as a livestock manager somewhere."

Now that the program has won the top award in the state, it will go on to compete regionally.

"I think it's good for our community to have recognition for what our program's doing, our students are doing, good for our program and students," Wilson said. "In a community like ours, the ag program and our facility is something people should be able to rally around."