Scott County third graders learn about agriculture

Gina Williams/Standard Democrat A presenter shows wheat to a group of third graders during the Scott County Women in Agriculture’s 19th Annual Farm Day Tuesday, April 30 at the St. Denis Parish Center in Benton. Top photo: Students learn about erosion.

BENTON, Mo. — Scott County third graders received an agricultural lesson as part of the Scott County Women in Agriculture’s 19th Annual Farm Day Tuesday, April 30 at the St. Denis Parish Center in Benton.

According to Donna Thompson, president of the Scott County Women in Agriculture, Farm Day is a significant learning day for the children in the county.

“It’s necessary for the children in our community to learn where their groceries, and products are coming from,” Thompson said. “You can’t just go to the grocery store and get your groceries, somebody had to produces them.”

This year’s Farm Day was attended by eight schools: Kelly Elementary in Benton, St. Augustine in Kelso, St. Denis in Benton, St. Joseph in Scott City, Scott County Central, Kelso C-7 in New Hamburg, and St. Francis Xavier in Sikeston. 

Gina Williams/Standard Democrat Kelly Elementary third graders pet a cow during the Scott County Women in Agriculture’s 19th Annual Farm Day Tuesday, April 30 at the St. Denis Parish Center in Benton.

Thompson said several organizations took part in this year’s Farm Day, including: SEMO Electric Cooperative, Oran High School FFA, Kelly High School FFA, Missouri Department of Conservation, Sikeston Farm Credit, Scott County Farm Bureau and Gateway Seed Company.

This year’s stations, according to Thompson, featured farm safety and ATV safety, erosion table, wheat, corn, cows, farm bureau exhibit about wheat and the growth stage and more. 

“We also have the conservation department here; they show the kids all the animal pelts,” Thompson said. “There’s beavers, foxes, deer and other wildlife animals.”

Thompson said SEMO Electric also demonstrated electric safety to the children, while Kelly High School FFA members presented agricultural safety to the children through a puppet show.

According to Thompson, one of the most popular activities with the students is the erosion table. The erosion table depicts how water passes through and washes away the soil.

Thomspon said years ago, the majority of children in the area were farm children, but now they are not, which is why she believes it is important for children to understand where their products come from. 

“I just think the kids need to see where things come from,” Thompson said.

Thompson expressed the importance of teaching children about electric safety.

“Even with electric safety, kids play; they fly kites, climb trees,” Thompson said. “Kids don’t understand until they see this that if they aren’t careful, they could get hurt. So they learn to be aware and what to stay away from.

Thompson continued: “Even with the erosion table, most of the children just see water going down a ditch, they don’t think about or realize how that all works or if it’s flooding how the water can wash things away.”

Thompson emphasized the importance of educating children not only about farming but about agriculture in general. 

“One of these kids may grow up and want to be a conservationist,” she said.

Diane Urhahn, treasurer of Scott County Women in Agriculture, agreed.

“There is a vocational part of it also,” Urhahn said. “The kids can see, ‘OK. We have a salesman here, but he’s selling a product to the farmer. You have Farm Credit which a farmer needs credit to put out his crops,. We have the Department of Conservation because conservation is also a part of what a farmer needs to do to conserve for future generations.

She continued: “So it’s not only farming in itself, there are other jobs related to agriculture, not just being a farmer.” 

The Scott County Women in Agriculture always welcome new members. To learn more about the organization, contact member Jolene Felter at jolenefelter@yahoo.com.