Students Flock To 'Life On The Farm' Event

More than 300 third- and fourth-graders braved the cold weather to experience life on the farm on Thursday. 

Tessa Hain, Antelope County 4-H youth development coordinator, said this marked the first year Life on the Farm was held in Neligh. 

Last year, the event was held in Pierce. Pierce and Antelope counties plan to rotate locations every year, she said. 
"We started Life on the Farm because there really is a big need to teach agriculture, ag literacy on where food comes from," Hain said. "Today, these kids are far removed from the farm. Yeah, they're from a rural background, but they don't understand exactly where their food is coming from." 

Hain explained that even the students who live on a farm don't see all the aspects that agriculture entails. 

"It's just to really inform them about agriculture in general, the natural resources we use, where their food comes from, farm to table. It’s really important that these kids understand the importance of ag literacy,” Hain said.

The event consisted of eight different sessions, including swine, beef, dairy, poultry, natural resources, irrigation, ag technology and crops. 

Students experienced milking a dairy cow on the milking simulator and got up close and personal with dairy calves, piglets, a beef cow and chickens. Different types of irrigation systems were also demonstrated, as well as technology aspects of agriculture.

Hain said the event has seen amazing support, from those leading the sessions to the FFA members helping during the event. Both Elgin and Elkhorn Valley FFA Chapters were leading students from session to session, and the Neligh-Oakdale FFA Chapter helped set up the event, make name tags and stuff  student bags.

Twelve schools from five counties were represented by the 324 third- and fourth-graders.

Click here for the gallery of photos from the event.