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Third grade students in the
Tulpehocken School District
were treated to an adventure
recently.
Caretaker All was the theme
of the curriculum material.
Six stations provided expo
sure to Caretakers of Animals,
Plants, Water, Community, Soil
and Resources and allowed stu
dents to interact with high
school students developing lead
ership skills through the FFA.
The adventure was hosted by
Mor-Dale Farm, near Frystown,
Berks County, owned and oper
ated by Ralph and Crystal
Moyer.
John Ratchie, DVM with
Willow Creek Animals Hospital
and Moyer spike to the children
about health, nutrition, safety
and diagnosis of small and large
animals. Ratchie emphasized
prevention by using vaccines for
such diseases as rabies, feeding
the appropriate diet, exercise,
adequate rest and plenty of
fresh water. His dog Farley pro
vided a treat for those needing
to love an animal.
Ralph emphasized the feed
consumed by the dairy animals
which inhabit Mor-Dale Farm.
He especially discussed cotton
seeds utilized in the diet of
ruminant animals for protein.
The cotton seed being the by
product of the milling industry
which produces the cloth mak
ing most of the T-shirts that stu
dent wore.
Caretakers of Plants John
Falter, Berks County Extension
Agent, and Master Gardeners
Norman Reifsnyder, and Donald
Klein shared their vegetable
gardening expertise. Students
planted an entire garden of
potatoes, carrots, radishes, peas,
beans, tomatoes, broccoli, cauli
flower, and red beets.
What do plants need to grow
was the question asked of the
third grade participants Their
responses included sunshine for
warmth, moisture provided by
rain, and ground.
Students learned that toma
toes like warm weather, while
peas prefer cooler temperatures.
And when you consume an onion
you are eating a bulb which is
swelled-up leaves.
The farm pond provided a
scenic spot for the Caretaker of
Water Chip Karasin, Nolde
Forest Environmental Education
Center. ‘‘She asked the kids why
things need water and what
lives in water.
Students responded quickly
on their note pads as they
worked in groups. Bass fish,
water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, birds
and raccoons were found on stu
dents’ lists. Everything needs
water was resounded.
Students moved around the
pond surveying it and gathering
samples which they screened to
separate its various life finds.
David Varone, Berks County
Recycling Coordinator, and Lori
Yalk, Conestoga Land Fill,
rewarded kids for their knowl
edge as Caretaker’s of Resources.
Varone utilized a collection of
plastic, glass, aluminum, metal,
etc. to discuss material which
Third Graders Learn How To Care For The Earth
can be recycled and the products
produced such as plastic mats
placed under play ground equip
ment.
Yalk utilized a landfill sand
wich model to emphasize the
detail taken when a landfill is
constructed to prevent leachate
from polluting the environment.
She discuss the types of materi
als placed in a landfill. She also
pointed out that materials that
should be composted do not
belong in landfills.
Randy McCormick, NRCS
Caretaker of Soils, compared the
naming of a soil in Pennsylvania
to other state symbols. Students
provided the following when
questioned by McCormick; the
state bird - Ruffed Grouse, and
state Plant - Mt. Laurel.
“Our state soil is called the
Hazeltown,” McCormick said.
This was done to celebrate 100
years of mapping soils in
Pennsylvania.
Utilizing materials provided
by the Berks County
Conservation District students
created a soil profile consisting
of an A horizon, B horizon and C
horizon. And then had the
chance to ponder the questions,
how long does it take to make an
inch of top soil? Why are light
soils cooler then dark soils?
A special treat at the
Caretaker of Communities sta
tion was the Beef Council’s Patty
Melt product. Detective Cool uti
lized Patty melt and a food safe
ty theme to crack his case. The 4
C’s of food safety were por
trayed; keep it cool, clean, cov
ered and avoid cross contamina
tion.
Pennsylvania Beef Council
representative Tammy Weaver
served as the Caretaker of the
Community.
Special treats in the day’s
agenda were a milking demon
stration in the parlor, a calf
housing tour, and lunch grilled
by the elementary school princi
pals and advisory council mem
bers. Sire Power, through dis
trict manager Eldon Ford, pro
vided ice cream for the partici
pants prior to boarding the
return buses sponsored by the
local PTOs.
The day provides a great
opportunity for high school stu
dents to interact with elemen
tary school students.
Serving as tour guides were
Joshua Folk, Garritt Randazzo,
Kelly Dietrich, Jennifer Manbeck,
Kelly Peifer, Jennifer Oxenreider,
Michelle McMichael, Cindy Bray,
Andrea Graeff, Lora Seiverling,
Jill Vail, and Melanie Bicksler.
Students assisting as caretaker
assistants included Jessica
Phillips, Melanie Kerschner,
Jennifer Johnson, Clinton Baker,
Todd Rebman, Matthew Forry,
Holly Moyer and Elizabeth
Loump.
Missy Folk and Joshua Krill
acted as public relations assis
tants. FFA President Oralyn
Folk was disguised as Patty
Melt.
Third grade students and
teachers from the Bethel and
Penn Bernville schools partici
pated in the event
Konger*
Chip and the children looking for larvae in the pan of their discoveries from the
pond.
Randy McCormick oversees students as they construct soil profiles.
Donald Klein gives third graders potato eyes to plant in the garden.
What would you get if you
crossed a cow with a rabbit 7
Hare in your milk!
Cow Jokes - how “amoosing"
Where do you take a young cow to eat?
To the Calf-ateria!
Why was the calf so snobby?
He thought he was a cutlet above the rest!
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