EL PASO – Some 100 years ago, American kids knew all about agriculture, because one out of every two families lived on a farm, ranch or dairy. No more.
Most of today’s young people live in the cities, and they know more about PlayStation than a milking station.
Realizing the difficulties of bringing kids out to the farm, the Kids & Kows & More program brings the farm to them.
Last week, 5,270 youngsters in El Paso County turned out to participate. Kids & Kows and More brings together university and industry agricultural experts, farmers, ranchers and dairy producers to demonstrate and explain life on the farm and how everyday food and fiber is produced.
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- Children learn about how food and fiber is produced at the Kids & Kows & More event.
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- Children learn about how food and fiber is produced at the Kids & Kows & More event.
Texas Cooperative Extension, New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service and Southwest Dairy Farmers sponsor the program in El Paso. In addition, volunteers from 4-H clubs and other organizations helped give presentations and coordinate groups.
“Many children that come to this program arrive believing that milk, eggs, produce and other products come from the store,” said Jim Rodgers, Extension 4-H agent in El Paso County. “At Kids & Kows they get to see live milking demonstrations, and hear about what it takes to raise crops and livestock from the people that make their living in agriculture.”
A total of 600 teachers were involved in the program, and all of them received a “teacher’s packet” to continue the learning experience in their classrooms.
Kids & Kows and More is scheduled to appear in many cities throughout Texas and New Mexico, including Abilene (May 11), Las Cruces (April 6-7), Midland (April 1-2), Odessa (May 5-6) and San Angelo (May 20-21).
There is no charge to the public and private schools that attend.
For more information and scheduling call Alfred Gonzalez, program coordinator at (915) 872-8791 or visit the Web site at http://www.southwestdairyfarmers.com/kids.html
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