Students in Carla Wood’s sixth grade class at the Perry Middle School received some hands-on experience of farming Thursday thanks to the Agriculture in the Classroom program, sponsored by the Dallas County Farm Bureau.
Wood planned the afternoon event with help from Dallas County Ag in the Classroom Coordinator Jamie Champion and Dallas County Farm Bureau Office Manager Janet Hick, with Perry Middle School Principal Ned Menke providing input as well.
Students began the event with an in-person address from Iowa Department Agriculture and Land Stewardship Deputy Secretary Julie Kenny, who described the importance of agriculture to the Iowa economy — one in five Iowa jobs is ag-related — and her role as a deputy secretary, including traveling all around the state and to Washington D.C. and to many overseas countries.
Kenny said land stewardship means protecting and conserving Iowa’s soil, water and air for future Iowa farmers to use to feed the world.
Among the Ag in the Classroom stations was an activity on cover crops led by Stine Seed Co. Marketing Director Jessica Drake and a demonstration of farm equipment through the years led by Van Wall Equipment Marketing Coordinator April Shields.
Pet-worthy horses, goats, chickens and geese were brought to the Ag in the Classroom event by Carol Jackson-Cavanaugh, Dirk Cavanaugh and Matt Cavanaugh of Perry, and the two- and four-footers were a big hit with the sixth graders.
“I love collaborating with people to bring unique experiences to our students!” Wood said of the ag adventure. “I owe a debt of gratitude to Jamie and Janet, to Ned Menke for always supporting my big ideas and to my sixth grade team for always being flexible and supportive.”
Wood also thanked Secretary Kenny for making time to talk to the youngsters, the Cavanaughs for bringing their animals and Steve Hick for arranging for the tractors and other equipment to show to the students. She also thanked Perry High School Dan Marburger for helping secure an area on campus on which to stage the Ag in the Classroom event.
