After three years on the sidelines during the COVID-19 induced hiatus, San Benito County Farm Bureau’s Farm Day returned to Bolado Park on April 26, when over 800 third graders from across San Benito County participated in a day full of activities and interactive learning opportunities about agriculture.
Students traveled in groups around the fairgrounds, checking out different interactive stations led by local businesses, organizations and 4-H and FFA students. Stations spanned from demonstrations by Brigantino Irrigation and Johnson’s Farrier Co. to interacting with horses, dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats, hogs, ducks and rabbits.
Bria Heintz and Chloey Rhoades, third graders from Hollister Dual Language Academy, both enjoyed the animal exhibits and the hands-on nature of those stations.
“I really liked the baby goats because they’re cute and fluffy,” said Rhoades.
Heintz called the day’s events “great” and “awesome,” and enjoyed the equine demonstration the most because of the interactive questions that the presenters asked.
Heintz’s mother, Mary Zuniga, a chaperone for her daughter’s class, was impressed with the event’s execution.
“This was our first field trip with the Hollister School District and I thought it was really well organized,” she said. “The docents took charge and led us to each activity. I thought it was a great experience. I think it was really nice when we went to watch the farrier, he actually had a model of the hoof so he was able to open it up and we could see the inside of it. He walked them through step by step using all the regalia that he has and I thought that was pretty cool.”
Some of these presenters have been a part of Farm Day for many years and gladly returned this year to help the event continue. Mari Rossi of B & R Farms is one such producer.
“B & R farms has been involved since the beginning of Farm Day in San Benito County and I think it’s a huge asset to our third graders and educating them on the outside of the classroom, to actually have hands-on experience,” said Rossi.
B & R Farms have grown and prepared Blenheim apricots in San Benito County since 1929 and its booth at Farm Day provided insight into how apricots grow and are harvested for consumption. Rossi also provided educational materials such as crossword puzzles for teachers to use in the classroom to continue students’ agriculture education.
“It’s important that they learn what’s growing and how it matures and that food doesn’t just come from the grocery store,” said Rossi. “There’s a lot of hard work behind it to get it to the stores.”
Among the volunteer efforts of community members from local associations was Cathy Alameda, who has been part of the Farm Day festivities for a decade. She said she sees the value in exposing young kids to the different aspects of agriculture on Farm Day.
“It’s a great event to introduce our young people to the possibilities of agriculture and what we do here locally,” she said. “I think it’s important because it becomes very apparent to them where their food source comes from.”
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. It is expensive to produce local news and community support is what keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service, nonprofit news.