I recently heard a radio news article featuring a young farmer growing corn and soybeans in Iowa. He grew up farming and recalled being captivated at an early age by the combines — likening them to spaceships, with lights and dials on a control panel. Years later, he says that he still finds the inside of a combine a magical place.
For some, that kind of magic of farming never wears off. And, perhaps, for a group of Methow Valley Elementary School students, that magic has just begun.
Last Thursday, on a beautiful autumn morning, two school buses filled with local fourth-graders pulled up to Moccasin Lake Ranch, where they were greeted by family member Ross Beatty, who talked about what agriculture is, how Moccasin Lake Ranch supports it, and how it benefits our valley.
Fourth-grade students gathered at Moccasin Lake Ranch.
The field trip to the ranch is the annual “Agriculture Day,” which is modeled on a tradition that is popular in small Midwestern towns built on agricultural economies. Agriculture Days introduce young people to many aspects of agriculture, in hopes of inspiring them to stay in the area and work in one of those fields.
This year’s Moccasin Lake Ranch Agriculture Day allowed students to cycle through seven stations in small groups and to ask questions of various ranch staff, including Liberty Bell High School Class of 2022 assistant ranch manager Anja Sorensen.
Visiting a pivot gave kids an idea of how large acreage is watered, while the tractors and other equipment allowed a hands-on feel of the steering wheel and controls. At the poultry barn, “chicken whisperer” Teri Beatty told students about how she cares for her flock, as well as offering them tastes of egg salad (which comes from eggs, which come from farms and ranches — something that some urban kids may not be fully aware of).
At the bee station, local beekeeper Susie Kowalczyk of Bee Gentle Enterprises shared her bee suit and other protective equipment and showed enlarged images of how bees create honeycomb and make honey. And the cider press was cranked up to make some freshly squeezed juice from locally grown apples.
The sheep station was active, with ranch dogs moving sheep by using their natural instincts to keep the flock in a tight group, moving in the same direction. Afterwards, the students were able to taste lamb meatballs (which are made of lamb, which, again, comes from ranches).
Another popular station was the squeeze, where the ranch folks herd cattle through.
Moccasin Lake Ranch has offered Agriculture Day since 2019, with a year off for COVID. In years past, ranch co-owner Jim Pigott has explained to students that working in agriculture can take many forms. “Students might not all become farmers, but agriculture is a broad field. Some of them might become veterinarians; others could be county extension agents.”
He also reminds them how vital agriculture is to our existence, saying “Farms and ranches are the starting points of food for people and for animals.”
