Leicester Elementary School kindergarteners and Head Start pre-K students got to “drive” a harvesting combine for Agriculture Day, thanks to a team from the Buncombe County Farm Bureau (BCFB).
The volunteers talked about where food comes from, how it’s grown and harvested, and some of the different types of crops and farm animals. The centerpiece of the presentation was a trailer that housed a modified combine cabin. Inside, different buttons brought up videos about the machines that harvest apples, cotton, corn, soybeans, hay, and more. The cabin had a steering wheel, pedals, and other parts of its original design, so the kids could pretend to drive while watching the videos.
“It vibrates too, so it really makes you feel like you’re riding in a combine,” said Phillip Freeman, vice president of the BCFB board of directors. “But more importantly, it shows them where food comes from. When you go to the grocery store and grab it off the shelf, somebody had to put it on the shelf. We hope this helps them appreciate agriculture.”
Everyone’s favorite activity was shaking heavy whipping cream until it “churned” into butter. The kids jumped up and down as they shook their plastic containers. When one student heard the solid thump of newly formed butter, the rest of the class excitedly crowded around to look at it.
“This has always been a farming community,” said Leicester Elementary Principal Chad Upton. “We’ve got many families who do this as part of their livelihoods, and for the children who don’t, this is an expansion of their everyday learning. Plus the technology makes it interesting and more immersive. It’s a great opportunity for them and something they’ll remember.”