On June 10, Troy and Stephanie Finn, owners of Finndale Farms in Steuben, NY, hosted 100, eighth grade students, teachers and chaperones from Holland Patent Central School.
The following day, they hosted 160 kindergarten students at the farm to see first-hand how a modern-day dairy farm operates.
Both groups that visited the farm were able to learn how the Finns’ dairy cattle produce high volumes of highest quality milk. There were 12 stations around the farm where the kids learned how much care and responsibility it takes to raise calves and feed 850 milking cows a balanced diet.
They also learned what it takes to grow and store thousands of tons of corn and hay for 1,800 dairy cattle of all ages while being sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Some of the most popular stations were the display of all the various large equipment it takes to harvest the crops and the Oneida County Dairy Ambassadors station, where Addison and Madeline Snider explained the nutritional excellence and wholesomeness of eating and drinking dairy products daily.
The petting zoo where there were baby pigs, chicks, calves, goats and mini donkeys was also a big hit with the kids.
The visit to Finndale Farms ended with hayrides for everyone. Photo by Ben Simons
The final highlight of the day was the Farmer Ben hayrides, during which the kids sat comfortably as they toured the maternity ward, the bunk silos (the food pantry for the farm animals) and the large fields of hay and corn learning why open farm land is so important and needs to be protected for human food production.
Troy and Stephanie Finn want to publicly thank all the volunteers that made this great event possible.
I, Farmer Ben, and the agricultural community would like to thank the Finns for taking precious time from their busy schedules in early June to open their farm to teach our young and future customers (and maybe farmers) where their food comes from.
by Ben Simons
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