More than a dozen youngsters got a close-up look Sept. 12 at where their favorite milk, butter, ice cream and cheese comes from when they visited Sandy Ridge Farms in Washington Township.
The “Fun on the Farm” tour was part three of a four-part series sponsored by the Clarion County Conservation District the Penn State Extension office for kids ages 5 to 9.
According to Hannah Bequeath, education/outreach coordinator for the conservation district, the program series provides an opportunity for kids to learn about life on the farm through hands-on learning experiences.”
Sept. 12 they saw the process of dairy production.
Sandy Ridge Farm is owned by brothers Mark and Bernie Beichner and their wives Theresa and Diane. Mark and Theresa sons Josh and Michael and Bernie and Diane’s son Brad round out the family farm operation.
The Beichner families are strong supporters of dairy education and community involvement. The farm has hosted Town and Country Day and a meeting in 2019 between the Clarion Venango Forest County Farm Bureau and elected officials.
Monday night, the kids heard from Bequeath and Clarion-Venango County Dairy Princess Kaylee Knapp of Franklin.
Bequeath and Knapp explained how milk comes from cows and how the milk is collected and the steps farmers and milk processers take to ensure the milk is safe to consume.
Mark Beichner explained how the cows on his farm consume about 15,000 pounds of feed each day.
After some games and quizzes on what they had learned, the kids went down the milking parlor to see the younger Beichner men milking 12 cows at a time with the entire herd moving through the process in about an hour and 20 minutes.
The next “Fun on the Farm” visit will be 5 to 6:60 p.m. Sept. 19 at Bendal’s Berry Patch in Fryburg. To register for the final program, contact the Conservation District at 814-393-6147.
From its inception in 1938, the Clarion Conservation District’s goal has been the promotion of wise land use in agriculture and the developing community through education or technical assistance.
Over the years, meeting the needs of the residents of Clarion County has expanded the role of the district into areas of water quality, erosion and sediment control, environmental education, dirt and gravel road maintenance and nutrient management.
The duties delegated by the State Conservation Commission are administered by a volunteer board of directors. The board members, a vital part of this organization, offer years of experience in agriculture, business, science, technology, education and public policy.
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