The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

KIRKSVILLE, MO -- Meet 16-year-old Jacob McKim of Kirksville. His interest in agriculture began only four years ago when his dad decided to buy chickens to raise. He then joined the Kirksville FFA in high school and decided to focus on chickens for his FFA project. To this day he enjoys it and considers chickens his pets.

"You can hold them. You can pet them and they won't bite. They just sit there and hang out. I take them to shows, and they just sit there and look around," McKim said.

In the past two years, Jacob has shown his chickens at the NEMO Fair and has won first place. It has required a lot of responsibility to take care of his chickens, but Jacob said it has been a learning experience.

"You have to feed them and make sure they have plenty of water. We take care of them when they get sick," McKim said.

Jacob said the funniest thing about chickens is chasing them and seeing how smart they are.

"My dad and I chase them outside the pin, trying to catch them. Somehow they always get back in without us there. They just fly back in," McKim said.

Jacob is planning to keep agriculture in his life as it has influenced him positively in so many ways.

"Some people think food comes from the store, they don't realize they time and hard work behind it. I want people to know the process it takes," McKim said.

When not in the chicken coop with the chickens, Jacob is either out hunting or playing baseball. He plans to go to Truman State University for college and study in the medical field.

Congratulations Jacob on being this week's Ag Kid.