Hey everyone! If you don’t remember me from my last blog post, my name is Shylee Davis, and I am interning with OSU Extension in Harney County. Since my last blog post, a lot has happened! One of the biggest things was our day camp. This year, our day camp was called Dirt to Dinner, where kids ages 5 to 11 were taught where their food comes from and how it gets from the farm to their plate.
We kicked off the camp by bringing in local producers from the farmer’s market. They explained where and how the items sold at a farmer’s market are produced and what kinds of products you can find there. The kids then learned about chickens and goats from another local producer, including the different breeds that are raised for meat and may eventually end up on their dinner plate.
The next part of our Dirt to Dinner journey focused on the kids learning about growing plants. We had an agriculture teacher come in and teach them about germination and how to properly plant seeds. The kids were able to pot peas and marigolds to take home with them. After that, they learned about the ruminant stomach from our very own Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center. They brought in a cannulated steer, which has an opening into its rumen that allows people to observe what cattle eat and how their food is digested. The kids were able to safely put their hands into the rumen and feel what the steer had been eating. It was definitely an experience they will remember!
On the third day, we had a local honeybee producer come in and teach the kids about bees and microgreens. She brought a special display that allowed the kids to see the bees up close without being stung. The kids observed many interesting things, from spotting drone bees, which are male bees, to even watching a baby bee hatch. After learning about bees, the kids got to start their own microgreens and learned what microgreens are and how they are grown. Later that day, our Junior Leaders (members of a 4-H club focused on leadership) each gave an educational presentation to the kids on a topic of their choosing. It was great to see them take what they have learned through 4-H and share their knowledge with younger kids.
We finished our week with Autumn, our 4-H Coordinator, teaching the kids about different types of soil and showing them how to ribbon soil to determine its texture. Later, we had someone bring in a milking sheep, allowing the kids to try milking and learn more about where milk comes from. At the same time, Boer goats made an appearance to teach the campers about their purpose in agriculture. We ended the camp with frozen yogurt and a water fight, which was a pretty great way to finish four busy days of learning!
After day camp, I was busy with fair preparations, including creating social media posts and helping put together our new fair office. Unfortunately, the fires then affected my family and our cattle, which meant that things had to slow down for a little while. I am now back in the office and right back to working on preparations for our County Fair, which will be held September 8th–12th.
Looking back on my internship, I have learned so much about what goes on behind the scenes to make programs and events happen. From working with kids at day camp to helping prepare for the county fair, I have been able to experience many different sides of Extension and agriculture. I am grateful for all of the opportunities I have had and for everyone who has helped make this internship such a great experience. Thank you for following along with me through my internship! Until next time!
