Hundreds of students attend Agriculture Education Day at the fair

FARMINGTON – Learning the difference between a cow, a bull and a steer was among the many lessons young students were taught during the annual Agriculture Education Day held Monday at the Farmington Fair.

Several hundred elementary students from five counties moved between the more than 20 displays and demonstrations that included everything from making apple cider to paper production. The event, in its 26th year, is sponsored by the Franklin County Soil & Water Conservation District.

Rosetta White, executive director and education coordinator for the district, estimated more than 1,000 elementary school students, teachers and chaperones attended the educational opportunity.

Students tasted fresh applesauce, made butter, watched bees work in a hive, were quizzed on healthy foods and more at the various stations set up in and around the barns and in Worthley Arena.

In the cattle barn, Elizabeth Neuschwanger of Wilton, answered questions about Lefty and Poncho on a visit from the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center in Livermore. Cows are girls, bulls are boys and steer can’t make babies, the young students learned. One student wanted to know why steers can’t produce offspring and found out that steer “get fixed, like your dog or cat,” and that helps calm them down so they can better focus on their work.

The Red School House, the Franklin County Agricultural Society Museum, Western Maine Blacksmith Association’s forge and the Maine Maple Association’s sugar shack proved popular draws for the students who watched the experts demonstrated their crafts.

The fair continues this week through Saturday. According to Neal Yeaton, Franklin County Agricultural Society secretary, the fair is postponing Monday night’s Drag Your Neighbor until Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. because of track conditions.