Area schoolchildren learn about agriculture during Farm Day

More than 900 third-grade students from 13 area schools learned about forestry, soil erosion, beekeeping, corn production, soybeans, poultry, pork, beef and dairy Wednesday at the 22nd annual Farm Day.

The event at Flickerwood Arena in Fruitland was sponsored by the Southeast Missouri Cattlemen’s Association.

Organizer Butch Meier, owner of Butch’s Angus, said he believes this event is important for students.

“Children now are two, three, four generations away from a farm,” Meier said. “They have no idea where food is generated.”

For some of the children, Meier said, it’s the first time they’ve touched a farm animal or seen one in person.

Grant Gillard talks about bees to third-graders Wednesday during Farm Day at Flickerwood Arena in Fruitland.Andrew J. Whitaker

Meier said the 10 stations showed students about local agriculture production, and he said it’s important to remember all aspects of agriculture are successful because they intermingle.

“We all depend on each other,” Meier said.

At the dairy-cow station, Melinda Schoen Morrison of Schoen Farms in Oak Ridge showed students her Holstein cow, Sprinkle, who at 8 months old already weighs more than 500 pounds. Sprinkle stood in an enclosure, with Morrison holding the rope halter’s lead, while students petted Sprinkle and asked questions.

Attendee Paige Flentge said she had been around cows before, when her grandmother had a cow.

“This one’s pretty,” Flentge said, touching the black and white fur on Sprinkle’s shoulder.

Morrison said Schoen Farms is a big family operation, and it shows its cattle at several events.

She said Farm Day was a great opportunity.

“This is the most people we connect to in the shortest amount of time,” she said, adding it’s good to reach out to children at a young age.

Morrison said many students are surprised at how big cows are and typically want to know how big the cows eventually get and how much milk they produce.

Grant Gillard, a beekeeper and Presbyterian minister in Jackson, said he often is surprised at the sharp questions students ask.

“They’re really interested,” he said.

Other exhibitors used models of farm implements to explain the harvest process or had hands-on exhibits where students could examine the effects of soil erosion. One booth had live chicks for attendees to touch.

Larry Miller, member for the SEMO Cattlemen’s Association and group leader for Farm Day, said he’s been working with the event for several years.

“It’s a great opportunity for young folks to learn about agriculture,” Miller said. “When I was growing up in Cape County, about every kid lived on a farm. It’s not that way anymore.”

Miller said people often don’t know where their food comes from. At this age, kids learn, “and it sticks with them,” he said.

Meier estimated 60 to 70 people worked to bring Farm Day together this year.

“I’m kind of the chairman, but it takes all of us,” he said.

The Jackson High School FFA group helped, and so did Southeast Missouri State University’s Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association, Meier said.

Meier said this event is one of the largest of its kind in the state of Missouri.

“We’re proud to have it here in Southeast Missouri,” Meier said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

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