(Le Mars) — 254 third and fourth grade elementary students from Le Mars
Community, Gehlen Catholic, Remsen St. Mary’s, and MMCRU had an “up-close” and
“hands-on” look at agriculture today as they toured four different types of
livestock farms. The annual agriculture tour is sponsored by the Le Mars Chamber
of Commerce Agriculture Committee. The students witnessed dairy cows being milked
at the Plymouth Dairy Farm, sheep being sheared at the Mark Loutsch farm, and
while visiting the Tony and Shirley Schroeder beef farm, the curious students were
able to see and feel the different types of grains, hay and silage that are fed to
the market beef cattle, and Roger Schroeder informed the students of the many
aspects of pork production while the students petted three feeder pigs. Gehlen
Catholic fourth grade science teacher Patty Hatting says she likes to incorporate
aspects of the farm tour as part of her science curriculum.
Hatting says she appreciates the farmers discussing with their students about
their source of livelihood and income, while informing the students about
agriculture.
The Gehlen Catholic teacher says its been her experience the students have
retained a lot of the information that they learned from the farm tours. Hatting
says its important the students know where their food originates from, and she
says in her classroom, the students will do some follow-up studies about what they
saw on the farm tour.
Scott Thoms is the herdsman for the Plymouth County Dairy. He instructed the
students about the various dairy products that come from milk. Thoms says he
shared with the students about the care and handling of the cows.
Thoms told the students that each cow at the Plymouth County Dairy is milked three
times a day, and is capable of producing about nine gallons of milk, which is used
to make 15 cartons of Wells Blue Bunny ice cream. Thoms says it is not just the
students who are impressed with the modern dairy operation, but the teachers also
get an agriculture lesson.
Thoms explained to the students that 26,000 gallons of milk are transported each
day from the farm to Wells Enterprises in Le Mars. Following the tours, the
students gathered at the Cleveland Park in Le Mars where they enjoyed a bar-b-que
style picnic with grilled hamburgers, porkburgers, and even lamb burgers, along
with chips, a cookie, Wells Blue Bunny ice cream treats and a choice of white,
chocolate, and strawberry milk from Dean Foods.
