Around 250 students visited Wyoming County Fairgrounds on Thursday for an insider’s look into local agriculture.
Jackie, a fourth-grader from Tunkhannock Area School District, had lots of fun on the field trip.
“I know that bees make honey and I love talking into the microphone,” said Jackie.
Her classmate, Aiden, learned about an invasive species making its way across the state and likely into your garden. Their teacher, Anne DeMarco, asked Aiden about the spotted lanternfly.
“I learned about these insects that harass trees,” said Aiden.
“And what do they do to those trees?” said DeMarco.
“They make them fall down,” said Aiden.
For the last 20 years, the Wyoming County Conservation District has hosted a day-long agricultural education program for the county’s students. The field trip helps fulfill statewide requirements for fourth-grade agricultural education standards, according to Environmental Education Coordinator Laura Anderson.
“[Agriculture] is such a large industry in Pennsylvania that we need to promote it and educate the children,” said Anderson. “And we’re number one in Pennsylvania in the mushroom industry across the United States. We’re in the top five for apples and peaches and different [goods]. So, this is really…important for our economy.”
Beyond economic importance, Anderson added that agricultural education determines the state’s future.
“Maybe they want to go into some aspect of agriculture and talking to these professionals can help them on their way,” said Anderson.
Students heard from a variety of presenters – from beekeepers to organic farmers. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry Service Forester Julian Maza taught kids about tree growth and farming.
“So, these are tree cookies, right,” asked Maza. “You guys can see the growth rings in there. Can’t eat them though.”
Those ‘tree cookies’ are the cross sections of trees. Maza asked the kids to guess how old three trees were from looking at their cross sections.
“43 [years old,]” guessed one kid.
“43? It’s a little specific – a little older than that,” said Maza.
“The little one I think is maybe 10,” said another kid.
“1000,” said a third kid.
“How about if I told you that all of these three trees are all the same age,” said Maza.
“What? Impossible,” asked a kid.
The three trees are all around 80 years old, according to Maza. He was demonstrating how varying amounts of resources affects tree growth.
However, while hundreds of kids came to the fairgrounds for nature lessons, program coordinator Anderson said that this year’s schools had to fight for agricultural funding.
“One school that comes every year, Lackawanna Trail, unfortunately could not be here because they did not have financial assistance,” said Anderson.
Other schools like the Tunkhannock Area School District applied for a grant to afford travel for Thursday’s event. Anderson hopes that lawmakers will pass legislation to make programs like these more accessible.
“All of the schools are facing the same barrier with bus driver shortages and funding for the field trips. [School] budgets across the state are hindered,” said Anderson.
As the Conservation District advocates for increased funding for agricultural education, they prepare for next year’s event and ask any industry professionals to reach out to them about being a presenter.
