s
Cornwall Readers Moo-ve
To Their Reward
A Trip To Krall Dairy Farm, Lunch, Ice Cream
Students were able to feel the pulsing of the milkers
during their tour.
CORNWALL (Lebanon Co.)
Two classes of students who won
the February “Moo-ve into Read
ing” challenge contest at the
school received their prize this
week.
Doreen Weaber’s second grad
ers and Maurice (Jim) Keesey’s
fifth graders visited the dairy
farm of Tom and Shirley Krall
Monday as part of their reward.
The 40 children split into two
groups to tour the dairy, spend
ing time with the baby calves and
the milking parlor.
The second group was able to
see the menu of what a cow eats
and view the adult milking cows
up close.
In addition to the dairy opera
tion, the Krall’s piglet, llama,
goats, turkey, and goose attracted
the students’ attention and allow
ed more educational opportunity
for the Kralls, who led the tours.
The Kralls milk 90 cows.
As the milk truck rumbled in
and driver Randy Luckenbill
began draining the milk tank into
the truck, Shirley Krall explained
the workings of the dairy. After
the farm’s tank was emptied, she
said, the tank would be carefully
washed.
Luckenbill added that the milk
shipped out that day would end
up at an area chocolate factory.
Both a llama and a turkey join the other various ani
mals at the Krail farm. Both Tom and Shirley used the op
portunity to teach about products from animals.
Even though the day was rainy, students toured the
various barn facilities for the different ages of the herd.
The truck holds approximately
7,000 gallons, or 61,000 pounds
of milk, said Luckenbill.
The three basics of a cow’s
production are “fed, bred, and
bed,” said Tom Krall. He ex
plained the importance of a bal
anced ration, freshening, and
proper bedding on a dairy farm.
After the dairy farm tour, the
students proceeded to the Golden
Corral for a special lunch and
Photos by Michelle Kunjappu
then on to Dairy Queen for des
sert.
The purpose of the challenge
contest was to encourage reading.
The school’s principal and librar
ian challenged the students to
read, read, and read during Feb
ruary’s “Moo-ve in to Reading”
program, designed by librarian
Sherry Kalbach. On Read across
America day (March 1), the re
sults of the school challenge were
announced.
During the month, primary
students had earned one “cow”
for every picture book they read
or had read to them. Students in
grades 3-5 earned one cow for
every four chapters that they
read.
If the school total surpassed
2002 cows, the librarian and prin-
cipal promised that they would
kiss and milk a cow in a school
wide assembly on March 1. That
goal was easily reached in two
weeks.
A second goal was that the stu
dents get to 10,000 cows and the
principal would become a human
sundae.
The librarian and principal ful
filled their promises at the assem
bly on March 1, as the students
had actually read more than
18,000 cows’ worth during Febru
ary.
The Lebanon County Dairy
Princess and Dairy Maid also
served Purple Cows during lunch
and did presentations about the
dietary importance of milk and
about Lilly, the cow that Mr.
Kindt milked.
Winners of the grand prize—
the trip to the dairy farm. Golden
Corral and Dairy Queen were an
nounced that day.
Weaber’s students had earned
1,607 cows, each representing a
picture book and Keesey’s earned
1,176 cows, each representing
four chapters read during Febru
ary.
The trip and reading promo
tion with a dairy theme is funded
by school activity funds and the
PTO.
Randy Luckenblll, driver, came to the farm to get milk
while the students were visiting.
“The cow needs a very healthy diet,” explains Tom
Krall as the students see the components of a cow’s ra
tion.
Keeping cows healthy is important to a farm, and Shir
ley Krall showed the students the tools they use to keep
the animals in optimum health.