Fourth and fifth graders across Jefferson County jammed the Thompson Park Pavilion in Watertown, N.Y., recently to learn about farming and agriculture. The two-day event called Ag-Extravaganza was hosted by the county's cooperative extension office.
Students patted sheep, watched an apple press in action, and learned about life on a dairy farm from Jeffersons County's Dairy Princess, Krystle Burger. They played a game she called "Got Moo?" where students pointed out which things from the grocery store were and were not dairy.
Nine year-old Mikeala said she learned a lot that day. "I learned about what is and what is not a dairy product. I found it kind of interesting because I didn't know a lot about what she said," she said.
Kids tasted fresh maple syrup and apple cider, some For the first time, 4-H educator Maggie Smith watched from the sidelines. She was glad to see so many kids there.
"It's very important to make kids educated consumers. The eat and what they grow up with and what they see when they are driving in the car," she said.
The Cornell Cooperative Agriculture Extension hosted the Ag-Extravaganza, which is its in 23rd year and will be back in 2015.