Glass Barn Brings the Story of Indiana Soybeans to Life

Agriculture touches every part of daily life from the food on the table to the fuel in the tank. The Glass Barn at the Indiana State Fair helps to bring that story to life for fairgoers.

The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the state’s soybean checkoff program, created the Glass Barn in 2013. The Glass Barn has welcomed millions of visitors at the Indiana State Fair in the past 12 years. This interactive building gives fairgoers an inside look at Indiana’s agriculture industry through engaging displays, games and programs.

“Farmers make up less than 2 percent of America’s population,” said ISA Chair Denise Scarborough, a farmer from LaCrosse, Ind. “Fewer Americans really understand how farmers grow the food they consume. One of the great things about the Glass Barn is it is an interactive experience that clearly explains to a non-farm audience the value of Indiana agriculture. The Indiana State Fair is an ideal setting for this effort.”

The Glass Barn is open daily during the Fair from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Aug. 1-17, and offers the opportunity for consumers to get a taste of real agriculture and to learn about soybeans. This year’s Glass Barn schedule includes the following programs and exhibits:

• Virtual farmer chats – Daily at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., Hoosier farmers share what life on the farm looks like. Milkshake and grocery gift cards given away at each chat. Daily Featured Farmers chats are presented by Corteva Agriscience will start at 3 p.m. each day.
• Full-size combine simulator – Climb into the simulator and virtually harvest soybeans.
• Play BeanGo – Play bingo with an ag twist. Learn farm facts, have fun and win the new Glass Barn hat.
• Photo booths – New photo backgrounds in the photo booths are available this year.
• Free Dairy Bar milkshakes for farmers – Visit incornandsoy.org/glass-barn to fill out a form to receive a free milkshake coupon at the Glass Barn. Farmers can also fill out a form at the Glass Barn to receive their coupon.

Glass Barn volunteers needed

Farmers, agribusiness professionals and supporters are invited to volunteer at the Glass Barn during the 2025 Indiana State Fair. Volunteers receive: Free State Fair admission, a meal coupon to the Dairy Bar, Beef Tent or Pork Tent, a Bean Team t-shirt and a parking pass. It’s a meaningful way to connect with the public, share farm knowledge, and help shift perspectives about modern agriculture. Click here to sign up.

Ag education beyond the Fair

The Glass Barn isn’t just a State Fair attraction; it’s also a year-round educational resource. Students, teachers and community groups have access to:

• In-person Field Trips at the Glass Barn
• Free virtual classroom field trips
• Downloadable lesson plans and activity sheets can be found here.

From local elementary schools to nearby FFA chapters, these programs help the next generation understand what it really means to grow food, fuel, and fiber. More information on the field trips can be found here.

This communication was funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars.