Kids
Natasha Naftzinger, Kayla Moyer, and Crystal Zerbe hurry to learn more about water
quality.
Tulpehocken School District Hosts Agriculture Science Adventure
Damp conditions didn't stop
the annual elementary agricul
ture science adventure from oc
curring successfully. One hun
dred thirty-nine third grade
students in the Tulpehocken
School District visited Mor-Dale
Farms, owned by Ralph and
Crystal Moyer, Frystown, Berks
County.
Students rotated through six
learning stations to learn about
animals, plants, soils, water, re
sources and community. Tours
of the farm filled in the noon
hour.
Dr. Adrienne MacCloude and
dairy farmer Ralph Moyer in
stilled animal science informa
tion for those attending. Samples
of feeds including corn silage,
hayiage, soybean meal, cotton
seed, and ground com provided
a display that is mouth-watering
to any bovine. The meal also in
cluded chocolate candy a re-
Sonia Erb, left, shows students how to plant pumpkin Students, from left, Danielle Leh, Katie Wylezik, Molly Reinsmith, Cody Scheipan,
seeds in peat pellets observed by teacher Brian Lucken- Thomas Reifsnyder, and Clayton Moyer identify vegetable plants,
bill and students, Zachary Kablack, Kyle Gutshall, Nikki
Hurst, and Joseph Derenzo.
cycled product that completes
the animal’s daily diet, explained
Ralph. Tools for treating, re
straining, and monitoring animal
health were shown and demon
strated to the students. Miah the
dog, owned by Dr. MacCloude, a
small and large animal veterinar
ian with Willow Creek Animal
Hospital, quickly made friends
with everyone.
The garden planting was
canceled due to soggy soil but a
video demonstrating urban gar
dening was used as an alterna
tive. Activities included vegetable
plant identification from seed
packets and pumpkin seeds
placed in peat pellets for future
garden planting were distributed.
Berks County Extension Agent
John Falter and Master Garden
er Don Kline assisted by FFA
member Sonia Erb trained the
green thumbs.
Randy McCormick and Tama
Komer
<s* '
ra Botto NRCS, USDA techni
cians utilized soil profile models
to instill in students the impor
tance of soils. A Hagerstown Soil
Series profile was constructed by
all the students to take along
home to share with parents.
High school students Luke
Troutman, John Hartman, and
Jonathan Bicksler demonstrated
soil erosion and water-holding
capacity with models.
Tamara Peffer, DCNP water
quality staff person from Noide
Forest Environmental Education
Center, had students swimming
about like aquatic animals. Stu
dents explained why water is im
portant in their lives in response
to Tamara’s questions. Collect
ing samples from the pond ap
peared to be a highlight of this
station activity. Utilizing “nets”
and containers, samples of worm
and insects were gathered, com
pared and identified. Terry Don
z * *
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iff
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Ralph Moyer explains the milking process in the milk
ing parlor on his farm.
kel and Joshua Dragon, high
school agriculture biology stu
dents, assisted with collection ac
tivities.
Students volunteered quickly
when ask to empty a waste con
tainer and select recyclable ma
terials versus non-recyclable.
Holly Hager-Yoch, a BFI Land
fill representative, encouraged
students to separate aluminum
cans, glass containers, paper and
plastics; materials that are re
cyclable and need to be sent to a
landfill. Students were treated to
a landfill sandwich model. It is
utilized to illustrate the construc
tion of a landfill to prevent
leachate from entering the water
supply. Community and service
club member Joel Martin, Josh
Balthaser, and Mike Blatt assist
ed with participation rewards.
The three coordinated recycling
activities at the high school.
Patty Melt and Detective
** X
Burge stole the show at the sta
tion coordinated by the Pennsyl
vania Beef Council. The four C’s
of Food Safety was the theme
conveyed. Students portrayed
Cool It, Keep It Clean, Cook It
and Don’t Cross It as their class
mates provided an audience.
Elizabeth Smith and Michelle
Ranck along with Tulpehocken
High School student Sara Stei
gerwald played a key role in the
production.
During the noon hours, stu
dents viewed actual milking in
the parlor, calf-raising facilities
and Berks County Alternate
Dairy Princess Cindy Bray’s skit.
A cheeseburger with all the fix
ings was served as part of the
lunch.
Soft ice cream was served to
the kids before they departed
from the event. A quiz on the
day’s activities awaited them
back at school.