Annual elementary student field trip focuses on agricultureStudents from Isabella County participate in Project R.E.D.

Nearly 450 fourth grade students from the mid-Michigan area got a well-rounded and interactive glimpse of agriculture on Sept. 24 and 25 as part of the annual Project R.E.D. initiative hosted by the Michigan Farm Bureau.

Every year, Project R.E.D.—short for Rural Education Day—brings statewide education to elementary-aged children via field trip-style events. 

This year, students participated from across the Isabella County region, including Mt. Pleasant Public Schools, Renaissance Public School Academy, Shepherd Elementary, Sacred Heart Academy, Winn Elementary, St. Joseph the Worker School, and Beal City Public Schools.

13 stations were spread across the Bryant Family Farm in Shepherd at the two-day event, each representing various elements of agriculture. 

Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantStudents learned about agriculture by visiting 13 individual speakers’ stations, including stations about wheat and the produce used in making pizzas.Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. Pleasant
“We give them a real well-rounded glimpse of agriculture,” explains Cathy McCune of the Isabella County Farm Bureau. 

“Farm safety, pumpkins, bees, bugs, cows—they even get to touch baby calves,” she shares of the experience. 

Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantJessica Byrant helped students explore hutches that host calves.
Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantFourth graders listen to Brian Gardner, agriculture program coordinator at Montcalm Community College, who talked about bugs.
30 volunteers and agriculture professionals attended from across Isabella County to aid in the endeavor—many of whom come back year after year to take part in the program. 

“Brian Gardner, he is from Greenville. He teaches agriculture at Montcalm Community College, and he's been our bug guy for 10 years,” shares McCune. “We have the DNR, we have Moolah, and they come back every year.”

Once in a while, McCune says that new volunteers join the team in teaching the students, such as Riley Travis who spoke about pumpkins at this year’s event for the first time.

Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantRiley Travis educated elementary students from Isabella County about pumpkins.
“They just step up. People just step up. They want to volunteer,” McCune explains.

“They know how important it is that we tell the story of agriculture,” she continues. “Because if we don't, as agriculturalists, then they're going to get information from people that really don't know.”

Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantRepresentatives from the Michigan DNR spoke on safety at the Isabella County Project R.E.D. event.
Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantPasch Dairy Farms taught students fun cow facts—such as how many gallons of water cows drink each day.
How to care for calves and cows, discovering how drone technology can be used for seeding and helping farmers solve crop issues, and the importance of insects and bees on a farm were just a few of the stations’ educational topics. 

It was an enlightening experience for both area students and teachers. 

“Project R.E.D. is such a fantastic, fun, and educational experience for our 4th graders,” shares Fancher Elementary teacher Missy Groves. “Our students at Fancher Elementary learned so much about agriculture in our community and how it connects to their everyday life!”

Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantFourth grade teacher Missy Groves poses with her classroom for a photo.
“I hope that not only the kids learn, but the educators learn, and they take some of it back to the classroom and integrate it,” McCune says. “Because agriculture is in everything—everything you wear and everything you touch, touches agriculture.”

McCune shares that careers in agriculture are also key talking points throughout the field trip. 

“It's crazy how many agriculture careers there are that aren't being filled because kids aren't looking at that for a career—and they're well paying jobs,” she says. 

“Think of your cereal box. Somebody had to market that, somebody had to design that. Why not have somebody with an agriculture background designing that?” McCune shares. “Or you have a lawyer that deals with farm estates, and you have an accountant. I mean, we need everybody in agriculture; there isn’t anybody that we don't need. So they need us. We need them.”

Photo credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. PleasantAshleigh Bryant shows students how drone technology helps farmers solve issues by gathering aerial photos—plus how drones can be used for seeding.
To learn more about agriculture education efforts with the Michigan Farm Bureau, visit www.michfb.com.