By-Product Field Trip

I'm a by-product of ___________, and you use me to keep cuts and scrapes clean. Once you stick me on, I'll help you heal! What am I?

Did you guess bandages? If yes, you are correct! Can you guess what bandages is a by-product of? Now it might take you a few guesses and there is probably more than one answer but if you said cattle, you know your ag products! Are you familiar with the sticky part? You know the part that stings like crazy when you rip it off? Yeah that one... well did you know the adhesive is a collagen-based adhesive made from cattle (and probably other animals)!

On January 5th, Linn County Farm Bureau Education Outreach partnered with Marion Home School Assistance Program and Hy-Vee Dietitian, Brian Scheil to host a field trip. Together, we offered a wonderful opportunity for students within the Marion home school community.

Linn County Farm Bureau Education Outreach Coordination, Morgan Ball, led a lesson during the first half of the field trip. Our lesson focused on primary and secondary products. Primary being the product or object already known and the secondary, otherwise known as a by-product, as the incidental product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else.

To me, this topic is so important. The Midwest supplies much of the United States agriculture commodities, including corn, soybeans, sugar beets, beef cattle, hogs, and poultry. The primary products from these commodities are essential to our survival but the by-products are a very important too. Many cosmetics, foods, bandages, brushes, clothes, and appliances are made from agriculture goods.

To warm up, we played Who Am I. The challenge was to solve the riddles by naming the agriculture source and by-product. Questions were similar to the one I asked above. Students were then let loose in the store to explore real-world examples between primary and secondary products.

Dietitian, Brian Scheil, followed the by-product activity with a great nutrition lesson. Students tried star fruit, turnip, and Ripple, green pea milk. I love when agriculture curriculum and nutritional lessons are paired together. They really go hand in hand. Understanding where our food comes from and knowing the nutrition can really help us to make smart choices.

I had a lot of fun working with the Marion Home School Assistance Program! The field trip was such a neat and applicable opportunity for students.

Lesson credit: Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation