Farm Lessons
Farm Lessons
Students were able to interact with multiple types of farm animals. Submitted photo
Chautauqua Lake Central School was host of the fourth annual Farm Day in June. Submitted photo
The event gave students an opportunity for first hand learning about agriculture. Submitted photo
Two interactive stations also allowed students to learn about farm equipment. Submitted photo
Students were able to interact with multiple types of farm animals. Submitted photo
Chautauqua Lake Central School was host of the fourth annual Farm Day in June. Submitted photo
The event gave students an opportunity for first hand learning about agriculture. Submitted photo
Two interactive stations also allowed students to learn about farm equipment. Submitted photo
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MAYVILLE -- Chautauqua Lake Central School hosted its fourth annual Farm Day before students started summer vacation, letting students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grades experience agriculture first hand.
The event took place on June 22, where the kids were welcomed in for a day of hands-on agricultural learning. Farm Day was established by former Chautauqua Lake students Hallie Boardman and Kylie Keefe as their Senior Leadership Project. The event proved so successful that it has since become an annual tradition, bringing local farmers, agricultural organizations, and educators together to promote agricultural literacy and showcase the importance of farming in Chautauqua County. About 50 fourth grade students from Bemus Point Central School also joined the Chautauqua Lake students, along with sixth graders from Ripley, at a special morning session that further expanded the opportunity for the school to share agricultural education with neighboring schools.
"Farm Day has become such a wonderful bridge between our school and the local community,” Chautauqua Lake Elementary Principal Megan Lundgren said. “It is a profoundly positive experience for everyone involved; our community volunteers absolutely love coming in to share their passions and what they love doing every day, and our student volunteers take so much pride in leading. That shared energy is infectious--it truly inspires kids of all ages, from our youngest preschoolers to our sixth graders, sparking a genuine curiosity about the world around them."
The day's events included two interactive learning zones for students to rotate through. At the bus garage, they met pigs, chickens, calves, goats, rabbits, class pets, and an axolotl while exploring a tractor, grape harvester, and other agricultural and school equipment. In the high school greenhouse and science wing, students participated in educational stations led by Cornell Cooperative Extension, where they learned about 4-H programs, agriculture, gardening, and nutrition through hands-on activities.
"Farm Day has become a wonderful tradition at Chautauqua Lake, giving our students the opportunity to experience agriculture firsthand and gain a greater appreciation for the vital role it plays in our community," Chautauqua Lake Superintendent Josh Liddell said. "I want to thank our elementary Principal Megan Lundgren for her leadership in organizing another outstanding event, along with the student volunteers who gave their time and energy to make the day possible. It was also wonderful to have students from Chautauqua Lake, Ripley, and Bemus Point learning together. Days like this remind us how much we can accomplish when our schools and community work together."
Chautauqua Lake Central School also thanked the multiple community members who helped make the day possible, including Knight Family Vineyards of Ripley, Cornell Cooperative Extension educators, Country Ayre Farms and the Woodis Family, Cassie Skull, the Boardman and Tarnowski families, and student volunteers Jameson Belson, Kase Keefe, Cala Schuster, Connor Hitchcock, and Jackson and Mimi Seiberg.