Mahaska County third graders explore Ag Day
Apr. 22—OSKALOOSA — Third graders from schools across Mahaska County spent their Friday learning about agriculture and its importance in Iowa at Farm Bureau's Mahaska County Ag Day.
A total of 268 third grade students, teachers and chaperones from Oskaloosa Elementary School, Oskaloosa Christian School, North Mahaska Elementary School, Fremont Community Schools and Peoria Christian School came together for the event at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds and learned from local experts about different aspects of Iowa's agricultural industry.
Guests enjoyed a free lunch provided by the Mahaska County Cattlemen's Association, Mahaska County Rural Water, Hy-Vee and Wanders Farms LLC before moving on to explore educational stations that covered topics ranging from corn production in Iowa, to livestock care, to Iowa's natural prairies and soil health.
Participating organizations included the Oskaloosa Future Farmers of America, or FFA, North Mahaska FFA, Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Mahaska County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Farm Bureau's Ag in the Classroom coordinator Karen Adams says that educating Mahaska County's students about Iowa agriculture is important because more and more of Iowa's children are living further removed from farms than past generations did.
"A lot of kids are not living on the farm anymore," Adams says. "So that really is what we really focus on ... They get to really see Iowa agriculture hands-on."
Adams says the goal of the day is to give the young students an appreciation for all that Iowa agriculture can do.
"It's mostly just to have appreciation for Iowa agriculture," Adams says. "This is where their food comes from. This is where their clothing comes from ... It really brings it to them that this is the real deal."
Myriam Lafreniere-Landry, of the Mahaska County Soil and Water Conservation District, sees the day as an opportunity to educate future stewards of one of Iowa's most precious resources — the land.
"They are the future generation of farmers ... They're going to be the stewards of the land, so they need to know how to take good care of the land," Lafreniere-Landry says.
She wants the children who visit her station to remember to take care of Iowa's soil, because it supports so many living things.
"Soil is alive, and it supports life," Lafreniere-Landry says. "Not only that, but [children should also remember] the needs of plants in the ecosystem. Keep that in mind, to be gentle to the soil and treat it well."
The annual county Ag Day provides a perfect opportunity for local farmers and producers to showcase for the next generation the importance of agriculture to Iowa — and of Iowa to agriculture.
Channing Rucks can be reached at crucks@oskyherald.com.
