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Students learn about farms during Winnebago County Ag Day
By Emily Hanlin
Ag Communications and Administrative Assistant
Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau
WINNEBAGO COUNTY – One Century, that’s 10 decades, 100 years, 1,200 months, 36,525 days, 876,600 hours, and exactly how long both the Illinois Farm Bureau and Indian Hill Manor and Farm have been in existence. In celebration of this great accomplishment, the Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau Agriculture in the Classroom program and the staff at Indian Hill Manor and Farm partnered to host the Winnebago County Ag Day. A time to celebrate our farming heritage!
On Friday, May 6, over 400 second graders from all over Winnebago County including Simon Elementary School, Kishwaukee Elementary School, King Elementary School, Beyer Elementary School, Walker Elementary School, Carlson Elementary School, Rock-Cut Elementary, and Rockford Christian School attended the event held at the Indian Hill Manor and Farm in Rockford. According to their website the Indian Hill Manor and Farm is “listed on the National Register of Historic Places and stands majestically above the Rock and Kishwaukee rivers. This lovely estate is rich in history from the early 1900s and includes a manor house, coach house, and dairy farm. Also included is the Indian Hill Forest Preserve which was donated to the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County under the condition that it remains a forest preserve in perpetuity.”
Students had the opportunity to experience hands-on learning about plants and animals specifically crops, soil, farm machinery, horses, poultry, goats, and beef cattle. They learned how agriculture provides food for their families. This program met Common Core and New General Science Standards requirements. The opportunity to get students out on the farm and learn about how agriculture has changed over the years and continues to provide the world with all its food and fiber needs was appreciated by all.
From all of us at the Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau, thank you to the teachers who brought us all the eager students, the Stillman Valley FFA Chapter for helping with our presentation, and the Indian Hill Manor and Farm for donating your facilities to our event. This great educational opportunity would not have been possible without you! We were blessed with a very successful day of educating our future generation on our most important industry: agriculture.
Students of Mrs. Cowman’s 2nd grade class from Winnebago pose for a picture while touring the Indian Hills Manor and Farm as part of Ag Day in Winnebago County on Friday, May 6.
