Learning and Flooding on the Farm - Another Great Week!

This week was a great week on the Farm! We continue to connect curriculum. Kinder is studying trees, so that is why your child may be hugging trees this week. First and second grades came out to measure temperature in the air, ground and compost and to check on their beds. Fourth grade is studying the lifecycle of Lady Bugs (which actually are called Lady Beetles). We were able to find all 4 stages of them in our okra and milkweed.  Third grade came out to study mixtures and visit our chickens. Lots of curriculum connecting is happening on the Farm and bringing their class lessons to life. We are grateful for the support that we have for our program and the huge rainstorm that has blown through. There was over 5 inches of rain today and it filled our tank and blew the cap off of it. This farmer is happy for the break!

Welcome To The State Fair of Texas - Poultry Style

Wow! What an experience we had when we brought our chickens to the fair. We are total newbies in the chicken showing arena, but we learned a lot and grew a little too. 

Luckily, we have our ever faithful Master Gardener and chicken lover, Mrs. Brewer who guided us through the process. We learned a lot about the history of our chickens, the parts of chickens that are important to the judges and showmanship.  Loaded up with this information and a lot of practice, the kids had to speak to a judge about their chicken and show them the attributes that make their chicken special.

We brought 4 of our hens and came home with a blue ribbon and red ribbon, so we were thrilled with our first attempt at showing our girls. In fact, we are jumping into the 4H world and planning our next show. It was a great learning and confidence building experience and we hope to include more students next time!

Is It Fall Yet?

The calendar says that it is, but not the thermometer. While the temps are still in the 90's, our Farm is in the process of growing fall crops and we keep heading out to learn!

5th graders were treated to an amazing field trip with the American Institute of Wine and Food and the Dallas Farmers Market Friends, Days of Taste program. This culinary class was founded by Julia Childs and Robert Mondavi. They learned from a local chef about their career, taste buds and how to use a chef's knife. The kids collaborated and selected their produce to make a pasta salad, green salad, and fruit salad. Even kids who don't eat salad, ate salad. If you know an MHE 5th grader, ask them about their trip.

Classes are heading out to the farm on a regular basis to connect their curriculum to hands on learning. Some farm friends have been learning about how to show chickens and eggs at the State Fair. Four of our hens and their eggs will be heading down to the State Fair of Texas to be judged and possibly head home with a ribbon.

Then there was 6th grade Farm Club.., Love it when they use fish emulsion to fertilize our crops. Our Giving Garden was harvested and Mrs. Brewer, our Master Gardener friend showed the LHHS F.F.A. students how to trim chicken nails so that they will be pretty for the State Fair.

Stop by this weekend and take a sniff. It smells like a farm and things are taking shape, we just need the weather to cool off.