Day in the Life of a Farmer

Mount Vernon Kindergarten through Second Grade Students Participate in a week-long Agriculture Inspired Day Camp.

Mrs. Dix, a Mount Vernon Elementary teacher and farmer, hosted 15+ students at Washington Elementary for a week-long agriculture inspired day-camp.

During the first three days, students participated in a variety of hands-on activities in which Linn County Farm Bureau Education Outreach Program had the opportunity to visit with the students about the dairy industry. I read a book called “Grass to Milk” and assisted with making homemade ice cream.

Students explored a new topic each day including dairy, beef and sheep but the highlight was visiting Mrs. Dix’s farm on the last day.

With slightly less than two percent of the total number of people in the US living on farms, Mrs. Dix wanted to give a real example of what it is like to live on a farm.

Mrs. Dix had the children help feed the lambs and calves. She also explained to the students the difference between hay, straw and cornstalk bales and she walked them through the process of shearing and caring for the sheep.

Mrs. Cara Dix hollered, “Who wants to help feed the lambs?” And all at once each students raised their hand and shouted “I do!” The excitement on their faces declared that their day on the farm had officially begun.