JEFFERSON — First graders learning the basics of agriculture didn’t seem to mind when part of that education included drinking milkshakes at 9:30 in the morning.
The milkshakes were just one way of illustrating where food comes from, and that Ashtabula County is an important link in the food chain.
A wide variety of stations were located throughout the fairgrounds Friday morning, showing how to milk a cow and hands-on experiences on how to make butter.
One of the stations included Kelly Kanicki, from SNAP-Ed, relating nutritional information to the children.
“We need to know we are eating all different colors of the rainbow,” she said of the importance of varied colored fruits and vegetables.
“It [the event] was started to tell kids where their food comes [from] and connect with local agriculture,” said Julie Wayman, an Ohio State University Extension educator.
She said the planning process is almost a full year job.
“We started in October and November,” she said of the planning process, which includes extension employees, educators, farmers, volunteers and other important cogs in the event.
Wayman said more than 300 volunteers help make the event work, including 50 high school students from Future Farmers of America chapters at Grand Valley and Pymatuning Valley high schools as well as a newly-founded group at A-Tech, along with a few individuals from other districts.
She said the high school students help lead the first graders to the different stations located throughout the fairgrounds.
Abby Wickline, a student at Geneva High School, said she gained a lot from others assisting her in agriculture education, and she wants to pass that on to young students.
The children had a chance to pet small cows and horses, and the opportunity to shake containers during the process of making butter.
Ashtabula County Extension Agent Amanda Barnum said the event was going well.
“It is very important to show where food [comes from],” she said.
Barnum said the children screaming and shouting indicated they were excited about learning something new.
“It’s awesome to see them [the high school students] interacting with [the first graders],” said Lowell Moodt, the Future Farmers of America advisor at Grand Valley High School.
The Grand Valley assistant advisor, Erin Smolinski, said it is important to help students understand where their food comes from.