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When you you think of a farm you can see the farmer tilling the fields, pigs rolling around in the mud holes and kittens running in the fields. That was not the scene at the Vo-Ag Center one Friday in October. Instead, there were about 100 kids running around.
Welcome to Heritage Day. Each year students at the center invite first and second graders from all over the Flathead Valley to come out and learn about agriculture.
“It gives kids a better idea of how agriculture affects their lives,” said junior Allison Tuszynski. “It gives them an opportunity to see and do things that they would not normally get to see and do.”
On Oct. 30, buses from around the valley unloaded kids at the Vo-Ag Center. The day started out with a tour of the many interactive stations, which included milk, wool spinning, roping, dairy products, tractors, the petting zoo, wheat and grains.
The two favorites were the tractors and roping stations. The kids were excited to learn about the tractors. They climbed up the steps and marveled at all the buttons and levers.
They were equally excited about the roping station. The kids got a chance to swing the rope and toss it to catch the pretend cow. Cheers would go up from their classmates each time a cow was roped.
Said Taylor, a first grader at Helena Flats, “I liked roping the best.”
The children also learned about dairy products. The Vo-Ag students explained how ice cream was made in an oldfashioned bucket with ice, sugar, milk and cream. The kids also got to experience firsthand what it feels like to milk a cow.
“I liked milking the cow,” said Michael, a first grader at Helena Flats.
At the wool spinning station the kids learned about how the wool is taken from a sheep, made into thread and finally made into clothes.
There was much enthusiasm for the petting zoo. Questions flew all over the place in inquiry of the animals. The kids wanted to know something about every animal. Some even wanted to take a barnyard animal home with them.
“I liked holding the big rabbit, “ said first grader, Andrea, of Helena Flats School.
The hay ride was what all the kids loved. As they all piled on to the hay bales laughing and talking, the tractor started up and began to pull them down the road. Some students even sang songs, like “Old McDonald” and “blah blah blah.” As the tractor circled back around the Vo-Ag center they begged for another ride.
“I loved the hay ride,” said Brook, a Helena Flats first grader.
As the trip came to a close, students piled out of the building. With a chorus of ‘thank you’s, kids from around the community left with a better understanding of life on the farm.
“It’s a great experience for the kids, said senior Ryan Fisher. “They learn a lot about agriculture, and they also get ice cream and Wheaties.”
Milk: At the milk station the kids’ eyes lit up as they got the chance to feel what it was like to milk a cow. They also learned about how farmers use machinery to milk cows. The machines hook up to the utters and pull and squeeze to release the milk. Said Laura, a first grader at Helena Flats, “I learned that cows have four milkers.”
Wool Spinning: This is where the children learned how to make wool. It was described to the kids as giving the sheep a hair cut. The kids learned about how wool is spun and what its used for.
Roping: Here they got the chance to feel what it is like to be a real cowboy and rope cattle.
Dairy Products: Milk, sugar, and ice are poured into a brown tub turned to ice cream.
Tractors: The tractors amazed some of the kids. “The tractors were cool,” said second grader Adam. “ They are a lot bigger than my dad’s.”
Petting Zoo: One of the favorites was the petting zooAnimals at this stations were pigs, kittens, bunnies, cows, and hedgehogs. “I learned how to pet a pig,” said Robert, a first grader at Helena Flats. “It was neat.”
Wheats & Grains: Kids ate Shredded Wheat cereal while learning about foods made out of wheat.
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