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AG VENTURE 2007: Third-Graders Learn About Animals And Plants

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

Avon Elementary School student Luis Melendez feels the underside of an alligator after learning about gator farming on Tuesday at Ag Venture. Students also got to taste gator meat.

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: October 31, 2007

Ag Venture 2007 Photo Gallery

SEBRING — Playing Beefo Bingo at Ag-Venture at Firemen's Field Tuesday, third-graders learned that cattle provide a lot more than the beef that is for dinner.

Using marshmallows for markers, the students filled in their Bingo cards as Ag-Venture volunteer Wayne Godwin named off things that had a component from beef byproducts: luggage, paints, pet food, bandages, insulin, mayonnaise, crayons, soap and candy.
Steve Handley showed the students reins and bits, which are the "steering wheel and brakes" for cattlemen on horseback.

Avon Elementary third-grader Jacob Schlosser, wearing a straw cowboy hat, said he learned that alligators have a built-in sonar.

Each third-grader received a cowboy hat and a shopping bag to tote a variety of goodies he or she received at the various agriculture-related learning stations.

Drew Phypers, a citrus grower and caladium farmer, offered the poultry presentation.
"It's a blast; we really enjoy it," he said. "The kids are always excited to learn, and they get a lot out of it."

Eggs are the most concentrated source of protein, Phypers told the students. Brown and white eggs differ only in the color of their shell and it's important to store eggs in their cartoon in the refrigerator because the shell can absorb the odors from other foods.

Poached, fried or boiled –– eggs can be cooked in a variety of ways and are used in making omelets, Phypers said.
The students were served a small piece of omelet.

Phypers directed the students to shout, "we love eggs," as they walked to the next learning station.
Johanna Lauchman, of Henscratch Farms, told the students there are two types of grapes in Florida.
"Green and purple," a student chimed in.

"Green and purple grapes," Lauchman confirmed. "And the name of the Florida grapes we grow are, repeat after me "muscadine and scuppernong."

About 1,400 third-graders from public and private schools and home schooled attended the annual Ag-Venture, which stresses the importance of agriculture in a fun and hands-on way for students.

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