Grundy County 4th graders get agricultural education – Shaw Local

Grundy Area FFA, Seneca Agriculture Programs, and Agriculture in the Classroom hosted Grundy County fourth graders Friday at the Grundy County Fairgrounds, teaching them all about conservation, crops, plants, fruits and vegetables, and farm machinery.

Students went from station to station as FFA high school students explained what they had learned through their career development.

Brandi Biros, a teacher with GAVC Ag, said this is the first time the two organizations have collaborated on this effort, partly due to COVID-19 and partly due to the need for a system in Grundy County. He said it replaced some older events, including a dairy tour, which was canceled due to the lack of availability. There are no active dairy farmers left. More than 400 students from across Grundy County attended Friday's event.

Coal City High School senior Maddie Gomez guided the children through a project where they practiced finger painting, where they cut up fruits and vegetables and then dipped them in paint. This is a practice of drawing pictures by grinding paint onto a paper plate. You should see the summary.

“The kids are fun, certainly interesting, and a little messy,” Gomez said. “Some people ended up with paint all over their bodies.”

Students also explained the importance of different types of seeds, like Brooklyn Elam from Coal City High School. Her job was to show children what soybeans and their seeds actually look like and talk about what they are used for. Elam said soybeans are typically used for things like candles and vegetable oil.

The children also learned about conservation and preservation, and were able to experience animal fur first-hand as Vivian Forte, a fourth-year student at Minooka Community High School, explained the importance of protecting the environment. Outside, students had first-hand experience with farm equipment, including tractors, trailers, and several semi-trucks.

Perhaps the most popular farm animals with the children were the llamas, which were not as happy as the baby goats and horses, but both were happy for the students to pet.

Students from Braceville, Gardner South Wilmington, Immaculate Conception School, Morris Elementary School, Saratoga Elementary School, and Au Sable Elementary School participated.