RIDGEDALE — The West Virginia Farm Bureau made its way into town toting its Mobile Agricultural Education Science Lab on Monday. The Mobile Ag Lab gives students the chance to learn and participate in hands-on lessons as they learn about agriculture.
The mobile lab is at Ridgedale Elementary School this week. On Monday night, students could pop in and get a little insight into agriculture in West Virginia. Lab Coordinator Michelle Bailey told the students about how things like packing peanuts and plates could be made out of more biodegradable options like corn or potatoes rather than petroleum products. Activities and experiments kids can take part in with the mobile lab include “The Colorful Bean,” “Glue from Milk” and “West Virginia Farm Charm.”
Today, the kids will learn about soybeans. Other subject matter in the Mobile Ag Lab includes forestry, dairy, grains and many different livestock.
Bailey said the mobile lab travels all over the state teaching kids about farms. She said it’s been found kids at a young age (pre-K to 5th grade) are about three generations removed from the farm.
“They have no connection to agriculture. They think that Wal-Mart’s where they get milk. You can ask, ‘well, where does Wal-Mart get it?’ Off the truck. They don’t have any clue Wal-Mart gets it from the cow,” said Bailey.
The purpose of the mobile lab is to educate kids on where things are growing and where they come from. Some might not even be aware beef byproducts go into things like brake fluid, tires or asphalt.
“You can’t go one day without agriculture,” she said.
“We’ve got to get the agriculture industry back and get more interested in it and getting more producers, or when we get years down the road what are we going to do for food?” she said.
