By LIONEL CHUTE
UNITY — Approximately 170 fourth-graders from around the county traveled to the Sullivan County Farm in Unity on May 16th for the School to Farm Day, co-hosted by Sullivan County Farm Bureau, New Hampshire Agriculture in the Classroom, and the Sullivan County Natural Resources Department.
Eight classes from five area schools came out for the event including Washington Elementary, Unity Elementary, Charlestown Primary School, the North Charlestown Community School and Claremont’s Maple Avenue Elementary.
Students traveled from station-to-station meeting local farmers and producers and learning how food is grown in Sullivan County.
The organizers saw a clear need for the event.
“Children used to know where food came from, because they lived on or near a farm and were part of the process,” said Sullivan County’s Environmental Education and Outreach Specialist Dawn Dextraze, “but now when most food is bought at a grocery store children need to be shown.
“School to Farm Day connects students to farmers and producers in their own community.” Past-president of New Hampshire Ag in the Classroom and current volunteer Jozi Best agreed, saying that “after the event a Sullivan County Farm Bureau Director who was there just couldn’t believe how little the children knew about farming.”
Stations included beekeeping, vegetable gardening, good and bad insects, healthy soil, dairy, maple sugaring, fruit production, sheep farming, poultry, work horses, hay making and historic farm tools.
Many organizations supported the event and participated as presenters, including the 4H program, UNH Cooperative Extension, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, the Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center (including student members of the Future Farmers of America), the Fall Mountain Regional High School Career and Technical Education Center, Common Vision Community Supported Agriculture and Art, the Sullivan County Conservation District and the Newport Historical Society.
In addition to the hands-on presentations, students were also treated to fresh and local chocolate milk from McNamara’s Dairy in Plainfield.
The Sullivan County Farm Bureau, an organization that advocates for agriculture and farmers, was excited to help organize the event. “We appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in making this a very successful day”, said Bob Cunniff, Sullivan County Farm Bureau president.
For livestock manager Jozi Best, who had championed the idea of holding a school to farm event in Sullivan County for more than 10 years, this was the culmination of a dream. “I was so moved to think what a complete community effort was involved,” said Best. “This was a true community collaboration.”
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