- Author: Alexandra Stefancich
Presentations focused on a wide variety of agricultural subjects including livestock, bees, bats, irrigation, nutrition, seed saving, wool spinning, cider pressing, soil health and much more. Participating organizations included the local FFA chapters, Nevada Irrigation District, Sierra Foothills Audubon, the 4-H Youth Development Program, UC Cooperative Extension and private agriculturalists.
The Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) was involved with actively showing students how soil and sand can help filter impurities out of water through an experiment where Kool Aid (representing impure water) is poured through a variety of substrates. SFREC also taught students about watersheds, including how water flows through a watershed, and the areas in which water tends to accumulate.
Farm Day allows students the chance to see and truly connect with multiple aspects of our agricultural systems, an opportunity that many people take for granted. These hands-on activities offer students a path to discovering where their food, drink, and clothing really come from and how it is all connected to the world's ecosystems. Witnessing the interest and curiosity of the students as they traveled through the stations, was a sure sign of the event's success.
SFREC will also present to third grade students at the Yuba-Sutter Farm Day this Friday. Be on the lookout for an update next week!
- Author: Laura J. Van der Staay
The Kings County Farm Day was held at the Kings Fairgrounds in Hanford on March 1, 2016. This collaborative effort of the Kings County Farm Bureau, the Kings County Office of Education, and the Kings Fair provides a venue to increase the awareness of third grade students about how our lives depend upon Agriculture. Students were exposed to Agricultural equipment, animals, and practices. Presentations and workshops were provided by older students in 4-H and FFA along with many other volunteers. Everyone helped make the event that served 2335 third graders and 105 teachers from 35 schools a great success.
Kearney helped by providing a lettuce planting workshop. Kennedy Baker, a Kings county 4-H All Star, who is a junior at Lemoore High School, joined over twenty other volunteers to help students learn what it takes to be a healthy plant and a healthy person, as well as plant 2 leaf lettuce seedlings to take home, grow, and enjoy eating.
A Hanford Sentinel story on Farm Day can be found at this link; A Kings County Farm Bureau story is here.