News : Ag Day teaches hundreds of third-graders about farm life, farm safety

Adam Albertsen demonstrates the dangers of electricity during Third Grade Ag Day.

Central Lutheran students observe the intense heat and danger of electrical currents

Students feel the difference between a variety of animal pelts at Conservation display.

This bear skin was a favorite among the displays at Third Grade Ag Day.

Students gather around conservation officer for chance to feel a bearskin.

This calf seemed less interested in Ag Day than the hundreds of children who admired it.

Gordy Harrison and Grant Wittmer show a video about pipeline milking system for Ag Day.

Children got a close-up look at area agriculture during Third Grade Ag Day at Fairgrounds.

Some of the Vinton-Shellburg students who came to Ag Day as third-graders when Stan Geiken first got involved are now returning again as members of the VSHS FFA, helping to guide and teach the younger students about life on the farm. 

The Benton County Extension Office, aided by many other sponsors, organized the annual Third Grade Ag Day Wednesday. Geiken has been replaced by Greg Walston as the official organizer, but Geiken continues to help with the event. This year, he gave a demonstration about bees, using one of his hives. 

Adam Albertsen of the East Central Iowa REC gave his electrical safety presentation, showing the children how electrical currents are so intense they can make metal burn. Albertson warns the children about the need to be careful with overheard power lines while operating farm machinery. 

Here’s all the organizations that were involved yesterday, according to Walston: 

Displays in the lunch buildkng were Benton County Conservation Officer Jon Geiger,  Farm Bureau (Stan Geiken) for the Bees, East Central REC  electric safety.  The V/S FFA for all the livestock and machinery displays with  Benton County and ISU Extension (Greg Brenneman, ISU Extension Field Specialist, Ag Engineering), Bill Arndorfer, Black Hawk  County ISU Extension Field Crop agronomist.  Farm Bureau, Benton County Pork Producers, BC Beef Producers, BC Dairy Producers,   BC Volunteers, BC Fair Board and  Johnson Auction.