Scott County third graders learn about agriculture at annual event

BENTON, Mo. -- On Tuesday, April 25, third graders from Scott County learned about farm life in Southeast Missouri as they received an agricultural lesson during the Scott County Women in Agriculture's 18th Annual Farm Day at the St. Denis Parish Center in Benton.

Farm Day was attended by students from nine schools this year: St. Ambrose in Chaffee, St. Augustine in Kelso, St. Denis in Benton, St. Joseph in Scott City, Scott Central, Oran, Kelso C-7 in New Hamburg, Scott City and Guardian Angel in Oran.

Donna Thompson, president of the Scott County Women in Agriculture, said this is the first year they have had farm day since COVID-19 arrived, and she was thrilled to reintroduce the yearly event.

Several organizations participated in this year's Farm Day, including: Missouri Rice Council, SEMO Electric Cooperative, Kelly High School FFA, Missouri Department of Conservation, Benton's Quail Forever, Benton's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Credit of Charleston, Sikeston Farm Credit, Scott County Farm Bureau and Puxico beekeeper Jeff Linson.

This year's stations, according to Thompson, featured beans, rice, corn, farm safety and ATV safety, a farm bureau exhibit about wheat and the growth stage, and more.

"We have the farm bureau here; they do a little bit of everything. Today the bureau is showing the kids the growing stage of wheat and showing the dry wheat and letting the kids get the grain out," Thompson said. "Then we have wild life here; they brought all the pelts for the different animals, too."

The Missouri Department of Conservation brought animal pelts of bears, foxes, skunks, raccoons, deer and other wildlife specifies.

Thompson also mentioned SEMO Electric demonstrated electric safety to the children and the NRCS displayed their erosion table.

"This year we have what's called an erosion table," Thompson said. "It shows how water goes through and how water washes away the soil; they even make a dam to show the students how when the water gets too big, it washes the dam away, or the house away."

Kelly High School FFA members presented agricultural safety to the students with a puppet show.

"They come out with puppets, and they have a farmer, a cow, a dog, a rabbit, a rat and a mule, and they just talk about farm safety," Thompson said.

Kelly High School students and FFA members Ava LeGrand, Blaire Riley and Kayleigh Holman discussed their memories of farm day in third grade and how it influenced them.

"I always wanted to be in FFA from this when I was younger," LeGrand said. "It's cool to learn all this stuff as a child and then actually knowing it now being older and being able to teach it to younger kids is really a fun thing to do."

Riley and Holman discussed how teaching farm safety to younger children is important and makes them think. LeGrand also said making learning exciting for youngsters is an effective way to help them learn more.

Thompson added youngsters do not always understand the influence agriculture has on people, and it is very important for children to be educated on agriculture.

"We want to teach the kids a little more about farming and where their items come from," Thompson said. "A lot of them don't think about where any of the stuff comes from, for example, like honey in a jar."

Thompson said despite living in "farm country" and rural areas, many children nowadays are not farm children since there are fewer farmers. She also added the primary goal is to ensure that the youngsters never forget how agriculture is a big part of their lives.

"They are really inquisitive in the third grade, and at this age, their minds are so open," Thompson said. "We try to teach them how agriculture is in everyday life, and that we need it.

She continued: "Today there are fewer farms than there used to be, so they need to know. You don't go to the grocery store and buy meat and that's where it comes from. Somebody had to raise that meat."

The Scott County Women in Agriculture always welcomes new members. To learn more about the organization contact member Jolene Felter at jolenefelter@yahoo.com.