Farm Animal Days delight and educate school children
A CALS animal science student introduces young visitors to a sheep.
Photo by Becky Kirkland
A line of young children bellied up to a shallow red trough, grabbing excitedly at the fuzzy, frantic chicks scurrying to escape their eager hands. A giant white turkey circling his pen and gobbling to the delight of children tossing him feed. Piglets nestled under a soothing heat lamp on a mound of hay. A mare nuzzling her foal.
These were just a few of the scenes at Farm Animal Days, an annual educational event hosted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences that provides opportunities for kids to interact with farm animals and learn more about agriculture.
This year's event, held at the College's Beef Education Unit on Lake Wheeler Road in Raleigh, drew more than 3,500 people over its three-day run in April, its largest crowd ever. North Carolina school children, along with their teachers, parents and volunteer chaperones, came in droves to see and touch the farm animals they've learned about in their classrooms.
"The children like seeing animals and hearing the sounds they make," says Deborah Peterson, a volunteer from Baileywick Elementary School in Raleigh. "This experience makes animals real for them."
While the animals certainly take center stage, there are plenty of other attractions at Farm Animal Days, including tractors to climb on, a chance to lasso a dummy steer, and, of course, an unlimited supply of N.C. State ice cream to enjoy.
Students from the College's Animal Science, Dairy Science and Poultry Science clubs manned posts throughout the barn and outdoor areas, answering questions about everything from why sheep are sheared to how much cows weigh.
Dr. Brian Faris, Extension 4-H youth livestock specialist, chaired the planning committee for this year's Farm Animal Days. By noon on the first day, he said, 600 people had already come through. "That's half of last year's total," he added. "We're thrilled that the event is such a success, and we hope that even more children come next year to learn about farm animals and agriculture."
-Suzanne Stanard
These were just a few of the scenes at Farm Animal Days, an annual educational event hosted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences that provides opportunities for kids to interact with farm animals and learn more about agriculture.
This year's event, held at the College's Beef Education Unit on Lake Wheeler Road in Raleigh, drew more than 3,500 people over its three-day run in April, its largest crowd ever. North Carolina school children, along with their teachers, parents and volunteer chaperones, came in droves to see and touch the farm animals they've learned about in their classrooms.
"The children like seeing animals and hearing the sounds they make," says Deborah Peterson, a volunteer from Baileywick Elementary School in Raleigh. "This experience makes animals real for them."
While the animals certainly take center stage, there are plenty of other attractions at Farm Animal Days, including tractors to climb on, a chance to lasso a dummy steer, and, of course, an unlimited supply of N.C. State ice cream to enjoy.
Students from the College's Animal Science, Dairy Science and Poultry Science clubs manned posts throughout the barn and outdoor areas, answering questions about everything from why sheep are sheared to how much cows weigh.
Dr. Brian Faris, Extension 4-H youth livestock specialist, chaired the planning committee for this year's Farm Animal Days. By noon on the first day, he said, 600 people had already come through. "That's half of last year's total," he added. "We're thrilled that the event is such a success, and we hope that even more children come next year to learn about farm animals and agriculture."
-Suzanne Stanard