Students tour crop and livestock farms

CHICKS, from pg. 10 the kids about different aspects of farming and answering many questions. Each youngster also gets a little bag of goodies with items representing their learning experience about farming for that day. Sometimes the project involves making ice cream in a bag.”

Stehn talked about additional learning events sponsored by Worth County Farm Bureau. There are tours for the students to crop and livestock producing farms; Farm Safety Day which covers all aspects of staying safe on a farm; and Ag Week for grades 1 through 7.

The students are also taught about interesting things such as a “Tootsie Roll”! They break down a Tootsie Roll to show the kids how many ingredients in this tasty little treat actually come from a farm. Then they can track some of those ingredients right down to an Iowa farm. I guess that would make quite a difference every time these kids enjoy a Tootsie Roll.

Working with other area teachers and farmers, Stehn also arranges virtual tours. Through our modern era of technology, the students have the virtual experience of riding in a combine with the farmer while harvest is in progress. What a great way to give a number of students the nearly real feel of riding in a large piece of farm equipment!

Back to those newly-hatched chicks: students have only a couple hours remaining with the chicks. Then a local farmer takes these chicks to his farm where Jeff, Tricky and Flappy Bird will freely roam for a long life.

So it was a great learning experience — even for an elderly like me. I’m now 89 and guilty of thinking my ‘learning days’ are history! But this brief encounter with a bunch of excited young children (and newly hatched chicks) was a delight. So the good Lord willing, I’ll likely try a few more new experiences should the opportunity occur!”

Visit www.TheLandOnline.com to view our complete calendar and enter your own events, or send an e-mail with your event’s details to editor@thelandonline.com.

April 29 — Land Access: Are You Ready? Workshop — Rosemount, Minn. — Attendees of this Land Stewardship Project workshop will engage in participatory activities as well as hear directly from local farmers about the creative land access methods they have used to secure land tenure. There will also be resource people on hand to provide guidance and understanding about a variety of related topics. Contact Karen Stettler at stettler@landstewardshipproject.org or (507) 458-0349.

April 29 — Minnesota River Valley Master Gardeners Spring Workshop — Mankato, Minn. — Sessions include Tips for Growing Tomatoes, Trees and Shrubs for a Changing Climate, and Discovering the Beauty of Usefulness of Native Plants. Contact U of M Extension Office for Blue Earth County at (507) 304-4325.

May 5 — Sheep and Goat Workshop: Pasture Rejuvenation — Preston, Minn. — Pasture and feeding directly impact meat, milk and production quality of sheep and goats. Learn how to create the best possible environment on your farm. Contact Katie Drewitz at (507) 951-6609.

May 6 — Sheep and Goat Workshop: Youth Education Series — Preston, Minn. — Following the Fillmore County 4-H sheep and goat weigh-in will be a youth educational series consisting of three rotations: Veterinary Medicine – What 4-Hers need to know, Housing Requirements for Sheep and Goats – Working with what you have, and Showmanship and Show Ring Preparation. After this series, there will be a youth showmanship contest. Contact Fillmore County Extension Office at (507) 765-3896.

May 30 — Farmers Night Out: Calf Management — Albany, Minn. — The program will begin with a meal and then proceed to a farmer panel of calf managers. They will share successes they have had, areas of growth, and tips and tricks they have learned. Contact Dana Adams at adam1744@umn. edu or (320) 204-2968.