Farming, Saturday, May 23, 1992 Elizabethtown Agriculture Project Bolsters Life Skills ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff ELIZABETHTOWN (Lancas ter Co.) In science fiction sto ries, it’s called “terraforming” the process of adopting a hostile environment to one suitable for humans. Much the same can be said for the work of the entire agriculture department at Elizabethtown, who have spent the last half year creat ing a thriving wildlife habitat and profitable operation from a farm that was, at one time, barely profitable. Work began last summer to renovate sections of the 30-acre Bear Creek Farm, once owned by Dave Sweigart and sold to the Eli zabethtown Area School District, into an educational facility. A dedication ceremony, honor ing the nearly 300 students, facul ty, administration, staff, and vol unteers, will take place on Wed nesday. June 3, at 5 p.m. The event will include a chicken and fish bar becue as well as fresh salad pre pared from vegetables grown in the students’ greenhouse. Dave Winters plants string beans on the freshman plot at Bear Creek Farm. » * , one-acre porid at > Bear Creek Farm has been expanded and Includes a doc. The pond will be stocked, with the help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with min nows, crayfish, bullfrog tadpoles, water plants, channel catfish, bluegllls, and striped bass. Here, Gary Swlhart, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, left and Al Martin, Elizabeth town agiisclence teacher, discuss plans for stocking the pond. Educational laboratory “The facility will serve as an educational laboratory for not only the agricultural department, but for the entire school and community,” said Heather Henisee, president of the FFA chapter. Also, the work on the facility has more far-reaching goals. The project, part of the Building Our American Community (BOAC) activities at the school, rivals the BOAC Award-winning project undertaken at the school in 1983 the construction of the Eli zabethtown Fairground. ‘ ‘We feel this might be a project that would be worth a good run at the nationals,” said William Erik son, agriscience teacher at the school and FFA adviser. Much of the school, including 14 ag science classes, has been involved in the Bear Creek project, including FFA, agriscience clas ses, electrical class, wildlife, weld ing classes, and others. Eriks on said that he wants every part of the school to be involved because it represents “more people involved abd more agencies involved than ’ ' Inues on a water diversion area around the Bear Creek Farm pond. The department plans to stock the diversion with various plants to help speed up the wetlands conversion process, according to agrlsclence Instructor Al Martin, left. At right Is Gary L. Swlhart, fishery assistance project leader with the wildlife service. jry Jhart, U.. Fish and Wildlife Service, seated, visited the Bear Creek Farm to work out the details of stocking the pond as part of the service’s Part ners In Wildlife program. At right Is Al Martin, agriscience instructor at Elizabethtown. the fairgrounds project.” Erikson provide a hands-on laboratory for said the department has been the school, working with “at least a dozen • 45 freshman agriscience stu agencies” in renovating the farm, dents worked more than a half-acre of ground and planted a variety of vegetables. The students had to sign a contract to sell the veget ables with family and friends. • The ag structures class, under the guidance of instructor Gary Gattens, involved various classes in the construction of a tool shed to store farm material at the site. • School welding classes con structed a pumphouse at the pond to provide underground irrigation capability to the farm’s 1-acre orchard. • About 25 dwarf applies, 10 cherry, and numerous raspberry and Christmas trees were planted Ag activities Various agricultural activities comprise the project, including: • A one-acre pond that has been expanded and includes a dock. Hie pond will be stocked, with the help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser vice, with minnows, crayfish, bull frog tadpoles, water plants, chan nel catfish, bluegills, and striped bass. The 10 acres of wetlands will ■ * ' V built up on the half-acre plot at the Elizabethtown Bear Creek Farm. last year. At the pond site, water testing is conducted continuously. Soon, the department will begin stocking the pond with various types of fish and other wildlife. Construction continues on a water diversion area around the pond. The department plans to stock the diversion with various plants to help speed up the wet lands conversion process, accord ing to agriscience instructor A 1 Marlin. Gattens’ ag structures class con tributed by building the shed, but he said that the students will con tinue to develop the area. “We’re helping to improve the area by put ting it back the way it was,” said (Turn to Pago A 29)
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