Students at Blackmore Elementary School participated in a fun and educational day at the Blackmore Fall Festival on Nov. 7, 2024. The event, hosted behind Blackmore by the K-State Extension Office and their volunteers, featured five interactive learning stations that allowed students to explore various aspects of agriculture and the natural world.
At each station, students rotated through hands-on activities and discussions, learning about everything from crops and soil to animals on the farm.
Crops and Consumer Science
At the Crops and Consumer Science station, students learned about different types of pumpkins and squash. Volunteers explained the unique uses for varieties such as Cinderella, sugar or pie, blaze, and jack-o'-lantern pumpkins along with acorn and butternut squash. After learning about these, students had the opportunity to plant pumpkin seeds to take home and grow themselves.
Soil Science
At the Soil station, students got a closer look at the important role that soil and decomposers, like worms, play in nature. They learned that worms help break down plants, like grass and leaves, into nutrients that plants can absorb. Students also talked about what other animals live in the soil, including moles, groundhogs, and snakes. Volunteers explained how soil is made from a combination of broken-down rocks and organic material, with air making up the final part of the mix. Students learned the differences between soil particles, such as sand, silt, and clay and could see how those separate into layers when mixed with water.
Goats
At the Goat station, students met two friendly goats, Elodie and Orion. Elodie is a Boer goat, which is bred for meat, while Orion is a La Mancha goat, known for its dairy production. Orion, who was born in February 2024, can produce a gallon of milk each day. Both goats, born earlier this year, were a hit with the students, who enjoyed petting the pair while learning about their uses on the farm.
Cattle
Students met two heifers at the Cattle station, Marilyn and Sassy. Marilyn, born in February 2024, is a Short Horn Angus cross and weighs 800 pounds, while Sassy, a Hereford breed, weighs 625 pounds and was born in April 2024. Volunteers explained the difference between what cows eat (a mix of corn, cotton seed, protein byproducts, hay, and grass) versus what humans eat to stay healthy and strong. Students also learned that cows have four stomachs and that Hereford cows, like Sassy, are known for their docile nature and ability to handle the heat better than other breeds.
Rabbits
The Rabbit station introduced students to Thumper, a four-year-old Holland Lop rabbit. Lop breeds are known for their floppy ears. Thumper enjoys eating hay and sunflower seeds. Students were fascinated to learn that rabbits, when happy or content, make a sound similar to a cat’s purr. Students commented on how soft Thumper’s fur was while volunteers shared information about how rabbits are different from hares (hares are larger and live in the wild).
The Fall Festival fun included a Pumpkin Drop. Each class designed a contraption to protect their pumpkin from breaking when dropped from an Evergy bucket truck. Students were creative and came up with some unique ideas. Several pumpkins survived the drop unscathed.
The Blackmore Fall Festival was a fun and educational experience that allowed students to connect with agriculture in a hands-on way. With the help of the K-State Extension Office and its volunteers, the event encouraged curiosity and learning about the important roles that crops, animals, and soil play in the world around us.
Continuing the Fall Festival theme for Family Night that evening, stations morphed after school from agriculture-related information to fun math and reading games and activities.
The Red Devils chefs grilled hot dogs to be served with chips to feed all of the families that attended the event. Class scarecrows were on display so families could vote on their favorites, and students decorated pumpkins for their own mini pumpkin patch behind the school.
The game and activities included: candy corn ring toss addition; word-building Tic Tac Toe; letter sound jack-‘o-lanterns; counting I Spy; candy corn arrays; giant phonics Jenga; ball toss addition; white board Boggle; Pick A Pumpkin synonyms; cornhole multiplication; speed reading cup races; Lucky Leaf screen time tips; a fall themed sensory table and coloring pages; and K-State Extension office’s balloon bean bag toss.
It was a fun evening for families to spend time together and bolster reading and math skills in creative, hands-on ways.