Last Day of Workshop #1!

What an incredibly packed day!


Our class began with a bit of dairy talk.  The kids learned about mastitis in dairy cattle and goats, and how to test for it.  I showed the kids the strip cup, which is used to look for imperfection in the milk before you milk into the pail.  This inspection is important to detect clumping, thickness, flakes, etc.  We wanted to milk Vanna White today, but she had other plans.  You see, Vanna is still nursing her (very large) little boy, and she did not feel like letting our class milk!  I did show the kids how the strip cup works, and a few people were able to milk her before I decided to just wait for the next momma to kid.  We have a whole school year ahead of us... and there will be more opportunities to milk a nicer doe!  I did use this chance to show the kids how to trim the goat's hooves.  It wasn't a complete bust!


The class worked on their news reports today, and we recorded them for a video!  I will be working on the editing this weekend, and hopefully have them up early next week!  They did an absolutely awesome job... and some of them had me in stitches!

This was a bit random, but I have two broody ducks at the moment, both sitting on nests of eggs.  I also have duck eggs in the incubator.  These eggs have been set for about 2 weeks, and were at the perfect point to candle!  Although we won't be talking in depth about poultry and embryology until spring, I brought down the eggs and we took a peek at the developing embryos inside.  They kids were able to see the veins, the shadow of the ducklings, and lots of movement!

In art, the kids finished their marionette animals.  It was a crazy day full of hot glue, beads, straws, string, pipe cleaners, and more!  The kids loved it, and I think their projects turned out great!  I had the Lonely Goatherd song from The Sound of Music stuck in my head all day long!

Even though our next workshop is on a different topic, we will come back to dairy and finish up a few loose ends.  Thank goodness for flexibility, as sometimes I just try to pack too much in!

Dairy Workshop: Day 3

Today was jam packed!  I didn’t think we were going to get everything in, but we did.  The class has been learning about dairy goats and dairy cows… but just like life on the farm is unpredictable, this class can be as well!  I always begin the class with Farm News.  This is a time for me to share all of the crazy things that happen each week, in between our class times.  Today’s Farm News included stories of us unloading our new steer, a talk about how I plan to feed him out for processing in January, our livestock guardian dog’s leg injury, and a very dramatic tale of the new steer knocking the gate off of the hinges and letting everyone run free!  There really is never a dull moment!

Last year, one of my students suggested that we have a Farm News recap on the last day of each workshop.  I loved the idea, and I am combining this concept with our last writing assignment.  For next week, the students will be the “news anchor”.  They will rewrite a Farm News story from the workshop, and read it as if they were on television.  I have a feeling this is going to be seriously FUN!  So, for next week, the kids should pretend they are a news anchor and each work on writing ONE of the news stories from this workshop (or tell about one of the lessons/activities that we did here in class).  If your child would like to actually record their news broadcast next week, wear your Farm Fusion tee-shirt!  (This is a no-stress allowed project!  If they would like to write it, but not read it out loud, that is fine!)

Those in the older class can work as a group if they would like.  If they choose to work with others, they will need to make sure not to tell the same story as their fellow anchor!

Our lesson today was on dairy cattle and goats.  They learned the different terms cow, bull, steer, heifer, buck, doe, and more.  We talked about the differences between store bought milk (which is pasteurized and homogenized) and “raw milk” that is straight from the cow.  They learned why you do not see goat butter in the stores…. goat’s milk is naturally (partially) homogenized, so the cream does not separate as easily as cow’s milk does.  After our lesson, both classes were able to spend time outside with the animals.  They ate an outdoor snack, and listened to our version of the Three Billy Goat’s Gruff, using names of our small, medium, and large goats.  Then, each student read his or her story that they worked on at home.  Again, I absolutely love the creativity that they have!  I am a big fan of farm-based stories, and I get to hear so many unique tales… sometimes about my very own animals.  It’s the best!

Ms. Gina brought technology to the classroom today!  I usually have a coloring sheet for the kids to work on before class begins.  It relates to the lesson, and gives them something to focus on while we wait for everyone to arrive.  Today, their coloring sheet was a dairy cow that can come alive with the Quiver App.  Ms. Gina brought Ipads so the tables would take turns making their cow and little bird come alive in 3D! 

The classes learned the proper technique for hand-milking.  They then used a glove to practice this technique.  It works really well, and it doesn’t require a very patient goat!  Next week, we will take our skills straight to the goat and milk our Saanen doe, Vanna White!  The students will learn the importance of proper hygiene, teat washing, filtering, and other important safety measures. 

In art, Ms. Gina taught the class about marionettes.  The students cut paper towel rolls to become the body and head of their animal marionette.  They have been studying cows and goats, but they can make any animal they’d like for this project.  Today, they worked on painting these pieces.  Next week, we will add the legs, neck, and the strings that will hold it up!

It’s hard to believe that next week is the last day of this workshop. We will have one week off and be back on October 11^th for our next unit!

Dairy Workshop: Day 2

Thank goodness for electricity!  So many of our Farm Fusion families were without power during Hurricane Irma, but we were able to have class today.  The classes got to hear all about the work involved in bringing in silkies, ducks, and rabbits, locking up the goats, horse, donkey, and dogs, and getting food and water to all the new locations.  To top it off, I caught a snake in the middle of eating one of my wooden eggs in the duck's nest!  Needless to say, that didn't fly with me!
It was definitely a crazy weekend and first few days of the week

We talked about so much today!  The classes went over the food groups, serving sizes, healthy food choices, and then zeroed back in on dairy. They learned the differences between the udders and teats of cows and goats, what cream is,  why our goats are hornless, and so much more!



The classes did such a great job with their writing assignments!  Again, this is not meant as a stressor, but simply to be a positive and social writing experience.  They really love listening to each others' stories, and I absolutely love their creativity!   I read them the story "The Silver Cow", which is a tale from Wales.  Each week, we will hear a new story that relates to our topic.


In art, the kids mixed their own milk paint!  They talked about primary colors and combined and mixed their own shades.  I love the way these turned out!  It's similar to watercolor, but b
older... and it dries thicker and more bright!

This week's writing assignment --  Come up with ANY story at all that has a cow and/or a goat as a character!