Down on the farm
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That’s a fact most of us take for granted, but it’s also information Tammie Gribble says we have to teach our children as we move away from being a farming society.
“Most of our children are now five or six generations removed from the farm,” said Gribble, a member of Farm Bureau Women. “That’s why we need to educate them on the importance of farming in this community and this state.”
It’s with that in mind the Farm Bureau Women coordinated the organization’s annual Farm Day yesterday at the fairgrounds. Third-graders from every school in the county, including Boyd, were invited to receive some out-of-the-classroom instruction about agriculture.
An estimated 300 students brought a sack lunch and attended the all-day event. They were treated to a wide variety of exhibits from farm staples like cows to a trick roping display by cowboy Ray Kozak, a world record holder.
“For most kids, if their family is not into farming, they don’t go into farming and so they don’t know much about it,” said Gribble. “Farmers are a dying breed.”
Smokey the Bear was on hand as area foresters talked about preventing fires. Nurseryman Bill Boyd of Flower City Nursery gave an account of the nursery industry, which is vital for the Warren County economy.
There were dairy cows in the livestock barn and the process of milk leaving the farm was discussed. Pat Bigbee was at the old one-room schoolhouse to tell students how school is much different today than it used to be.
There were antique tractors, and TWRA officer Joey Wray brought the agency’s wildlife trailer.
“On most farms, in addition to farm animals there are wild animals,” said Wray. “And farms are where most people do their hunting nowadays.”
The TWRA exhibit includes a stuffed: coyote, deer, beaver, otter, bobcat and turkey.
Farm Bureau has been holding Farm Day for around 15 years. It used to be a three-day event at the Midway farm of Larry and Judy Martin but was moved to the fairgrounds about five years ago so all activities can take place in one day.