Farm Day

Press Release:

On May 23 the Byron-Bergen Elementary School grounds transformed into an outdoor agricultural education classroom for the annual Farm Day celebration. Jr./Sr. High School students who participate in FFA or study agriculture in science classes volunteer to spend the day teaching the younger students about where their food comes from. 

The goal of the event, which began four years ago, is to introduce elementary students to the agriculture community in which they live and to spark their interest in pursuing advanced agricultural studies in high school. And it’s working.

The fourth annual Farm Day boasted 22 student volunteers, double the number from of last year. In its first year, Farm Day was only for kindergarten students and the information was presented by adults from the community. As the event expanded, older students stepped into the instructional roles.

“It’s significant to see the high school students sharing their animals, knowledge, and interest in agriculture with the elementary students,” said Byron-Bergen Elementary Principal Kristin Loftus. “The younger students can see themselves as Farm Day presenters in a couple years, and they’re excited about it.”

“I think today was really interesting!” said fifth-grade student Adalin Davidson. 

Davidson was not raised on a farm but is “definitely” planning to join the FFA and study agriculture in high school.

According to Jr./Sr. High School Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor Jeff Parnapy, the increase in student Farm Day volunteers reflects the increased participation in agriculture education in the district.

“This year we really started to see the effects,” said Parnapy. “Participation in the FFA has doubled. Enrollment in the higher-level agriculture classes has doubled. I hope these young people will participate when they get to high school, too.”

Tenth-grade Farm Day volunteer and FFA member Grace Mundell agrees that the opportunity to learn about agriculture has shaped her future plans. Although she was not raised on a farm, she hopes to live on one someday.

“I joined the FFA in eighth grade and I always had an interest in animals,” said Mundell. “I had friends in FFA who got to do a bunch of cool stuff so I decided that would be a good way for me to learn, too.”

Farm Day 2024 included presentations on cereal grains, animal feeds, maple syrup production, the history of the FFA, planting and growing sunflowers, and dozens of animals including cows, horses, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, pigs, rabbits, rats, and chinchillas.

Press Release:

Justin Deleo led a cow past the playground and across the Byron-Bergen Elementary School campus as part of the annual Farm Day celebration. Justin and his cow were joined by goats, pigs, ducks, chickens, rabbits, tortoises, horses, more cows, and hundreds of Byron-Bergen Elementary School students. 

Farm Day was created as a tool to introduce the school community to the agricultural economy surrounding the campus. Despite the rural setting, many Byron-Bergen students do not know a lot about working farms.

“It is important to ensure that elementary students have a general understanding of the domestic animals and plants which surround them in their communities,” said High School Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor Jeffrey Parnapy. “Farm Day also creates interest and curiosity in agriculture, which leads to exploring agricultural career choices.”

Justin is President of the Byron-Bergen FFA Chapter and a member of the Genesee County 4-H Dairy Club. “I like teaching people about agriculture,” said Deleo, who emphasized safety. “Everyone has different animals here so it’s important to learn how to be safe. A cow is not like a dog. If you run up to a cow, it might kick you, and you could really get hurt.”

Students moved from tent to tent with excitement. Older students ran with full-grown goats on leashes as though they were dogs, while baby goats were held on students’ laps like cats. Younger students delighted in petting ducks and bunnies as pigs snuffled the ground, completely unaware of the interest they generated. 

Third-grade students Leanna Dietz and Brooklynn Sandow excitedly discussed the pigs who looked like piglets but were full-grown. Fellow third-grade students Naomi Allen and Scarlett Smith liked the bunnies the best, and Emily Davidson’s favorite animal was the German Shepard K-9 Officer from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation visiting with a handler and Byron-Bergen alumnus Officer Fay Fuerch.

Over by the playground, Cocoa, a Nigerian dwarf goat, and her two kids, Sandy and Potato, were also crowd favorites. “We use the goats for milk,” said sixth grader Riley Boland. “One time, we made ice cream.” Her family has a hobby farm that includes Lavender Orpington chickens.

Nearby, eighth-grade FFA member Michael Holley displayed eggs in different sizes, shapes, and colors while younger students guessed what kind of animals might have laid them. “I’m showing the younger kids how the eggs are produced and what we feed the chickens,” said Michael, who oversees letting out and bringing in the chickens daily at his family’s farm.

Michael was eager to participate in Farm Day, as was seventh-grade student Ava Williams. She let the younger students pet her cow, Lucky. “I have been working with him for the last few weeks, and he loves to be outside,” she said.

“I think Farm Day is valuable,” said eighth-grade FFA member Taylor Lundfelt. “It’s an informative day. It’s a good day for kids to learn.”

While the cows and pigs are the stars of the show, Farm Day is not all about animals. Students learned the difference between hay and straw, touched and compared different kinds of animal feed, and were given baggies with sunflower seeds in peat moss pellets, ready to be planted at home.

“Our students love to come to Farm Day because not only do they recognize the high school kids, but they love to look at the animals and ask questions,” said third-grade teacher Colleen Hardenbrook. “It’s a great opportunity for us to get outside and connect with the community.”

Photos courtesy of Gretchen Spittler

Above, an FFA member teaches a younger student about livestock.  

Submitted photos and press release:

On Friday, June 11, the Byron-Bergen FFA brought agriculture education to the Kindergarten classes. Members of the Future Farmers of America introduced the younger students to a variety of animals including cows, sheep, goats and ducks.

The outdoor event on the Elementary School grounds was a collaboration between FFA advisor Jeffrey Parnapy and Kindergarten teacher Ayn Gardner.

“We reached out to local people who own animals, a farmer brought his tractor in, and we’re also learning about different kinds of feed,” Parnapy said. “Both 4H and FFA members are presenting their animals and answering the kindergarteners’ questions.”

In some cases, the younger students were able to touch the animals.

“I like petting the lambs,” said kindergartener Evelyn Haywood.

“Looking around today, I already think that this is going to have to be a yearly event,” Parnapy said. “Everyone is having a blast and I’m so excited that we were able to provide this experience for the kindergarten students.”

Upstate Milk donated milk and cheese sticks for all the students and the FFA provided goodie bags for participating elementary students.

First three photos courtesy of Amanda Dedie. Bottom photo courtesy of Ayn Gardner.

Above, 4H member participating in Byron-Bergen Farm Day.

Above, Byron-Bergen students.

Above, students learn about farm machinery.