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2010 Education
Day Photo Gallery
The 4th annual MMOGTA Antique Farming
Education Day is now in the archives, but we suspect it won’t
soon be forgotten by the 540 excited kids that joined us for the day.
A benevolent weatherman
provided
us with a picture perfect early Autumn day for the event, and a large
contingent of volunteer members were in place to make sure the kids
got the most from this program. At about 9:00 AM, the first school
bus rolled in, and the kids came boiling out as soon as the door
was opened, eager to see, hear, and learn what we had to offer. We
don’t think they were disappointed.
Some 540 students, in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade
elementary school level were our guests from 9:00AM to 2:00PM to learn
a little about
the history of Agriculture in our part of the world. The kids and their
chaperone teachers were met and guided through some 21 interactive
stations, giving them a hands-on opportunity to see the machinery,
skills, and processes that have provided our country with food, clothing
and shelter throughout the past century.
While many of us in the Club have agricultural backgrounds,
it is very clear that the majority of present day elementary school
students have
little or no direct contact with the business of farming, even in many
of the small town districts that comprise our coverage area. This year
we hosted students from Flint and Saginaw, as well as many of the more
local schools. One youngster was heard to state that he had never even
seen a cow, let alone have the chance to milk one. The smiling kids
experienced a broad variety of activities that included watching grain
being threshed and shelled and then ground into flour or meal. They
witnessed many stages of lumber production, from the sawmill and veneer
mill areas, and even received a branded shingle as a souvenir. For
many this was their first ever chance to drive a real tractor, watch
a sheep being sheared, or make their own candle. They also learned
about beekeeping, and watched and listened as skilled seamstresses
taught them about quilting. The majority of the 21 work stations gave
them an exposure to things they will not find anywhere else in their
daily lives, and almost by definition, that is education.
We’re pretty sure this event is a gratifying,
and worthwhile experience for all the kids that attend, judging by
the smiling happy
faces, and there is certainly no doubt it is the same for all of us
who help stage the event. We also wish to thank the many individual
and corporate sponsors who help make this day possible, by their donations
and efforts.
The MMOGTA Board of Directors and Membership wishes
to thank the following community-minded businesses and individuals
for their donations to the Education Days 2010 program:
Owosso Tractor Parts - Owosso
McKenzie Insurance - St. Johns
Farm Bureau [ Wilkins Agency] - Owosso
Barry Tyler - Williamston
R.F. Equipment - Morrice
S&K Farm & Yard - Owosso
Greenstone Farm Credit - Corunna
Saginaw County Farm Bureau - Saginaw
Saginaw County Soil Conservation District
Gray Farms - Owosso
Michigan Milk Producers Assoc. - Ovid
Veale Milk Hauling - Owosso
Green Meadow Farms - Elsie
Coffield Oil Co. - Bancroft
Lloyd Miller & Sons
(click individual
photos to enlarge)
  
  
  
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