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Ryder Elementary students got to visit with farm animals, learn about soil health and check out beekeeping gear during the 29th Agricultural Fair at C-R High School.
The Ag Fair, held Oct. 5-6, gave young students an introduction into farm life and exposure to the ag education program at C-R High School. In total, about 345 students across 21 classes visited the fair.
The Fair included several demonstrations and opportunities for hands-on learning, including:
A petting zoo featuring pigs, cows, goats, ducks and chickens. As they interacted with the animals, students learned about their care. The animals were all generously provided by the families of ag students.
A lesson on beekeeping, delivered by ag students who wore beekeeping gear so that students could become familiar with all the hobby entails.
A presentation on dairy farming that took students through the entire milk production process, from cow to milk bottle.
A lesson in planting and soil health, during which students were able to plant seeds that could be brought back to their classrooms, where they can track their plants’ growth.
Most of the planning and instruction for the fair was led by students in the Agriculture Issues and Leadership class in partnership with the Future Farmers of America (FFA). About 35 C-R High School students were involved.
“I’m so proud of the leadership and teamwork they showed this week!” said Deb Fletcher, C-R’s Agriculture Education teacher and FFA advisor. “They had to problem solve on the move, adapt to things like rain and altered schedules, and really got a chance to see things from a teacher’s perspective.”
This marked the first time the Ag Fair was held since 2019 because of the pandemic. Previously, the fair had been a three-day event that also included Radez students. The ag department is hoping to provide a similar experience to students in grades 3-5 this coming spring.
“We had so much support by the administration, high school teachers, the community, that helped make everything go so smoothly,” Mrs. Fletcher said. “The last bus was pulling out, and my students were already talking about what they need to do to make it even better next year!”