Kids Farm and Fun Day at the Fair

September 14, 2015

9-11work-087 — Clint Kowalsky (left) and Mark Wood (right) speak to a wagon full of kids and teachers on farm day.

Clint Kowalsky (left) and Mark Wood (right) speak to a wagon full of kids and teachers on farm day at the county fair.

As the temperatures start to dip and the sun sets a little earlier, the much anticipated Chattahoochee Mountain Fair begins, and along with it comes the Kids Farm and Fun Day at the Fair. Imagine eight elementary schools, thirteen 4^th grade classes, and over 400 kids. Throw in farm animals and fun, and you have one of the best learning experiences of all time.

Presented by Farm Bureau, this has been an annual tradition for around 30 years. Event director Gilbert Barrett says things have changed over the years. When it started in the 80’s, they used to take all of the 4^th grade classes around to the local farms. But in 1996 it was changed so that the farmers and kids came to the fair.

Barrett says agriculture is a big part of Georgia, and Habersham ranks 9th out of the 159 counties in GA, and it is important to teach our kids where we get our food. 1 out of every 7 people in GA have some kind of agriculture affiliation, whether it be poultry, dairy, crops, etc. Farm Bureau takes this opportunity to teach the next generation about it.

With a lot of help from the community, along with Habersham County FFA members and 4-H students, the kids get to visit 13 stations to learn more about agriculture. The stations include plant pathology from UGA, vegetables and fruits from Jaemor Farms, dairy from the Georgia Mobile Dairy Classroom, goat production from David English, electrification from Habersham EMC, and bees and honey from Terry Harris, along with others. Everyone works hard to provide lots of interaction to help educate the kids. Also included are a petting zoo, fun with food, and horse drawn wagon rides.

This is a labor of love for some. Jackie Glaze, an 80 year old gentleman who has been doing this for 13 years says, “This is something that I love, and I love the kids.” He and Herman Barrett, 82, enjoy driving the horse drawn wagon for the kids. A covered wagon, driven by Mark Wood and Clint Kowalsky, whose family has participated for years, were also part of the fun.

So if you know any 4th graders in Habersham County, be sure to ask them about Farm and Fun Day at the Fair.

READ Fair Begins Friday