Como-Pickton FFA
Hosts Farm Week

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Members of the Como-Pickton FFA hosted their annual "Farm Week" activities at Como-Pickton School, this week. Activities began on Wednesday, when students brought a variety of farm animals that serve as their FFA projects to school and invited the elementary students to get "up close and personal" with their animals. Pre-K through the fifth grade students at Como-Pickton School were afforded the opportunity to touch and feel the animals and to ask questions regarding the care and maintenance of different farm animals.

This Como-Pickton student learned all about rabbits and the necessary care
in raising them as a project.

"It would really surprise most people that as many rural students as we have in Como-Pickton School, that we have a number of students that still don't know the significance of agriculture," expressed Vocational Agriculture Teacher, Michael Bowen. "Even though they live across the road from an agricultural enterprise, many of them have never stopped and considered just what it takes to bring food to their table. Then, there are others who are so astute in living on a farm, that they can give my students some pointers on how to tend to their animals!"

Off to learn about the farm........Pre-K students at Como-Pickton found many interesting sights at
the display of farm animals provided by the Como-Pickton FFA.

According to Bowen, the annual Farm Week Celebration is an outgrowth of a tradition at Como-Pickton High School, where some 21 years ago, students decided to celebrate agriculture and the significance that it made in their community. Each year the annual celebration has grown and now encompasses three days of activities at the school. The Petting Zoo is featured on the first day of the activities and is designed to teach students about the various species of livestock on modern farms and what type food each animal produces.

This Pre-K student was interested in learning all about a poultry project, as a high school
student tells her about raising chickens.

The second day of the celebration is designed for Middle School aged students and is devoted to Farm Safety demonstrations, that deal with learning the proper use of farm equipment, and to use caution in working with livestock. Driving semilators, as well as an actual "crash" scene will be enacted during this segment of the activities. "Students will be able to see just what happens in the cab of a truck, when it rolls over in an accident," expressed one of the FFA students. "Hopefully, it will improve the driving capacity of Como-Pickton area students and prevent some potentially fatal accidents."

These Como-Pickton FFA students brought their dairy heifers to exhibit at the Farm Week Activities
at Como-Pickton School, on Wednesday.

Friday's activities, begin with what is synonymous of the Como-Pickton FFA Agricultural Celebration, the Tractorcade. This is the activity that began twenty-one years ago and features students and teachers driving tractors to Como-Pickton School and entering a parade that moves around the school, in celebration of agriculture. "Students will beg, borrow, or almost steal a tractor to be involved in the parade," denotes Bowen. "We will have some 40 to 50 tractors on campus, Friday morning, when the parade starts at 9:15. It's become a very popular event."

These baby calves were popular with all of the children, as they were
able to pet them and learn about their care.

"Farm Week activities are a learning experience for my Vocational Agriculture students, in that they must learn to speak before a group of people and to tell what they already have learned in both the classroom and with their projects," expresses Bowen. "And, it is a fun activity that promotes learning among the other students who are not involved in agriculture, as well!"

And, the horses were popular with the elementary students, also.

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