Sask. kids get hands-on ag experience

Students on top of farm equipment at Greenleaf Seeds Farm. (John Flatters/CTV Prince Albert)

More than 160 Grade 3 students from schools in Tisdale, Melfort, Star City and Nipawin spent the day getting their hands dirty, learning about life on a farm and how important it is to their lives.

The program is called Ag in the Classroom and gives students a hands-on experience.

Greenfield Seeds co-owner Rhonda Mayerle started hosting students for the program in 2019. She says it's important to show kids to be proud of where their food comes from.

"My goal, my hope is that they learn a little more about agriculture, learn where their food is coming from, and the practises that go into producing that food," said Mayerle, who grew up on a farm herself, and says she wouldn’t trade the lifestyle for anything.

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Paige Pister, Ag in the Classroom program coordinator, says getting hands-on is an effective way to engage students’ minds.

“At every station, they're either petting an animal, climbing on equipment or planting a seed, so just having the students have their hands-on component is a huge impact for the kids,” she said.

Students took turns learning about the different animals on a farm and some of the perhaps surprising products they are used for, like marshmallows or shampoos.

They learned about farm equipment and farm safety with the chance to sit in the tractors that have more technology in them than the first spaceship sent to the moon had.

Of course, having animals around makes for a fun experience for kids who may have never seen some of them up close.

"A lot of the kids have maybe never been able to get up close to an animal let alone pet it, so this is also the opportunity for them to learn, see the animals up close and learn about them, and what their role is in providing food,” said Mayerle. “And not only food but by-products as well."

One student, Flory-belle Weibe, from Tisdale, for example, can't have a pet goat due to town bylaws.

“That's why I’m enjoying today as much as I do and I want to make the most of it."

Mayerle says the hope is to have students return in the fall as fourth-graders to see the results of all the farmers’ hard work in the fields all summer.