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Ag Day Delights, Informs Students
John Deere
Jerry Hamby brought his John Deere tractor to the Ag Day event at Fair Oaks Elementary. The students were very interested in the tractors and how they worked. This was Hambys first year at the Ag Day event. - photo by Virginia Still/The Leader

As fall brings in the changing of the weather, and orange pumpkins, it also brings Ag Day to Cloverland and Fair Oaks elementary schools. The school sites were both alive with a combination of teachers, presenters, animals, and students on Friday, Oct. 26.

Sue Moran has been organizing Ag day at Cloverland Elementary for the past five years. She currently teaches kindergarten at Cloverland and has been teaching for 20 years. The shared thought throughout the school is that Ag day is not only a learning day, she noted, but a fun day for all.

“We live in an area rich in agriculture. Ag day helps expose the students to all aspects of it,” said Moran.

Many of the presenters and volunteers have been participating in this event for several years. However, they did have a new presenter for the 2012 event. Erin Van Dyke grew up in Oakdale and was on hand to give a presentation on rice farming. The learning continued for students with a cowboy museum, quilts, eggs, crop duster, poultry, a detailed display of a rancher’s life and many more presentations. There was also a tri-tip lunch for all the staff and presenters.

Megan Reisz is the event coordinator at Fair Oaks Elementary. She has been a second grade teacher for 10 years. This is the fourth year they hosted an Ag Day at Fair Oaks. Students rotated through presentations including those about herd dogs, quilting, tomato processing, bees, and roping. Most of the presenters are also regulars at this event, with a new attraction this year the antique John Deere tractor presentation from Jerry Hamby.

“We all love Ag day and the kids get to see stuff that they usually don’t get to see,” said fourth grade teacher Lisa Graham.