Fourth graders pet chickens, learned how cows are milked and sang songs about nutritious diets Wednesday morning at the Douglas County Fairgrounds,

Day on the Farm is an event by Kansas State Research and Extension and 4-H Youth Development allowing students to explore topics like dairy, water conservation and grain production.

The day began with an exploration of dairy including a cow demonstration to show students a glimpse into how milk reaches their kitchens. Then, students split into a variety of rotations, including stations featuring goats and chickens.

Fourth-grade teacher Rachel Sloan said it was cool that each station makes a point to explore possible jobs related to each topic, something she said can help open doors for students exploring what they want to do when they grow up.

“A lot of them have never been on a farm before,” Sloan said. “They’ve never seen these animals in person. They didn’t know where the vegetables came from and where, like, corn comes from. So just to, again, know exactly where they come from and see it in person, to get to touch it, it’s super important for them.”

Fourth-grade student Genevieve Schinzel said it was good to learn with hands-on experience. She said her favorite part was getting to pet chickens.

“We’ve learned about food groups like food that is good to eat and food that’s not good to eat,” she said.

Paula Mason has been a paraeducator in Eudora for 19 years and has been on this field trip many times.

“The kids really love it. They learn a lot,” she said. “It’s a real good experience for them, and I’m glad they let them do it.”

Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]