FFA brings Mini Farm Day back to Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bryce Wilson, an Albion FFA member, shows a sprayer to students in Emily Stavange’s kindergarten class during today’s FFA Mini Farm Day. The sprayer is owned by Panek Farms.

The event was cancelled last spring due to Covid-19, but is back this year with some changes. The Mini Farm Day in the past was open to all grades in the elementary school. This time it was limited to grades kindergarten through second. FFA members will make a video that will be available to other classrooms and students who are studying remotely.

Natalie Bertsch introduces second graders in Pat Levandowski’s class to a pig from the Neal farm in Albion. The stations were spread out more than in the past.

“A fun fact about pigs is they don’t have sweat glands so they like to roll around in the mud,” Natalie said.

Gina Sidari shows these students Josie, a week-old calf owned by Samantha Basinait, an Albion sophomore and FFA member.

Kyle Van Ameron shows these students a John Deere tractor owned by Panek Farms. Kyle said the tractor weighs 37,000 with 375 horsepower. The thick tires give the tractor traction in a muddy field, Kyle said.

The Van Lieshout farm in Barre also brought a tractor for the day.

Jeffrey Brown talked with these second-grade students in Mark Skurzewski’s class about a rabbit.

Chris Glogowski, Albion’s school resource officer, stops by to greet Oops, a mini horse owned by ninth-grader Meganne Moore.