Washington producers turn first-grade teachers
for a day

Story and photos by Cheryl DeHaan

The Whatcom County Dairy Women and Whatcom Farm Friends hosted the 16th Annual Milk Makers Fest at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds April 21, 22 and 23. Nearly 1,700 first-grade students (including 350 teachers and parents) from eight Whatcom County school districts and several private schools attended this event. Dairy is Whatcom County’s No. 1 agricultural commodity. The educational field trip included six teaching stations taught by dairy producers. Students learned about a milking parlor, calf raising, rations and dairy product nutrition. PD

Above: Dairy farmer Jon DeJong from Whatcom County, Washington, explains to a group of first-graders how to attach a milking unit to a cow’s udder.

 

Above: First-graders from Blaine Elementary in Blaine, Washington, are curious about the look and smell of different dairy feed samples.