No Visit to the Farm, Oneida County Farm Fest Forced to Go Virtual

Unfortunately as we've become much to accustomed, another fun and educational event is forced to go virtual. The annual Oneida County Farm Fest will be conducted in classrooms for kindergarten through 5th grade students this year.

The event has been held at the DiNitto Farms in Marcy and the Brabant Farm in Verona the last few years and provided an opportunity for many adults and kids to see a dairy farm in operation first hand. In the past years the class field trips were limited to 4th and 5th grade students, by going virtual Farm Fest will be open to K-5th grades this year.

Students will still get the experience of seeing life on the farm through videos and supplies will be provided for student activities in areas of embryology, plant germination, spinning wool and making ice cream. Arrangements can be made to have a Zoom call with a farmer for the entire classroom. There is also "Why Milk" poster contest with one student from each classroom winning a science kit and the teacher receiving a $50 gift card to Ag in the Classroom.

The Farm Fest presentations will be available through May and June and include:

*Multiple short videos covering different aspects of farming
*Live Zoom with a local farmer
*Why Milk …? Poster Contest
*Free Activities Bucket which includes:

• Seed Starting
  Make it with Wool Kit
  Embryology Kit
  Ice Cream Making Kit

Individual classrooms of thirty students or less need to register before April 30 to participate and receive the student activity kits. Supplies are limited and are on a first come first serve basis. Register and get more information at Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County's website or at the Farm Fest Facebook page.

Contributions from several groups and businesses have made the virtual version of Farm Fest possible; Oneida County 4-H, Stewarts Shops, Oneida County Farm Bureau, Ag in the Classroom and Oneida County Dairy Promotion.