Cattlewomen and FFA Host Ag Expo

By Products of cattle

What’s the difference between a beef cow and a dairy cow? How much feed does a cow eat in a day? What is a male goose called? These were some of the questions that were answered for the around 400 area fourth grade (and some third grade) students at Tuesday’s Ag Expo at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.

Edith Harper, Sheridan County Cattlewomen, said the Cattlewomen nationwide have been hosting the Ag Expos for decades, as a way to introduce fourth grade students to agriculture. “We have almost all the fourth graders in Sheridan County,” Harper said. “We had 404 signed up.”

With the help of the three local FFA chapter, John B. Kendrick, Sheridan, Tongue River Valley, Ranchester and Clear Creek FFA, Clearmont, the expo had exhibits ranging from draft horses and ponies, to a large tractor and a cattle truck. There were dairy and beef cattle; rabbits and poultry; pigs; and sheep outside, and inside the exhibit hall were exhibits about churning butter, butchering beef, wildlife and beef by-products.

Sheridan County Conservation District had a display on the water cycle, and steer heads attached to straw bales made good targets for roping practice.

“We couldn’t do it without the FFA,” Harper said, “I think at least 30 FFA members are helping today.”

Two FFA members, Austin Sticka and Colter Hanna, from the Tongue River Valley FFA had a demonstration on how to churn butter the old fashioned way, with a hand churn and a gallon jar.

Timber Buhr, FFA member of Clear Creek FFA, said this was her first year here as an FFA member, but she remembered coming to expo when she was in grade school.

It was a warm, sunny day, and the youngsters seemed to be enjoying learning about how the various agriculture aspects benefits everyone.