7.8.15 Field Day

We went to the local Farm Field Day this week. Kinda funny as we live and work on a farm daily so this was not new information just presented in a new way. Most of the exhibits included some kind of treat The kids are shown enjoying their soil structure float. The cup was bedrock, the ice porous rocks, the blue sprite the good aquifer water, the ice cream filtering soil, the cookie crumbs top soil, and the green sugar and sprinkles grass and plants. The educators talked about the importance of caring for our water sources and being careful about pollutants. Of course the reward of ice cream soda was not overshadowing that important information!

A second fun activity was the siphon tube setting station. We first practiced then had a timed contest. John set 10 in 1:08, Mark 1:24, and Mom :20. It's been a long time since I won anything and this was fun! The standing record was :24 seconds. It's all about technique. I set many tubes growing up. Here on this farm most of the watering is applied with sprinklers attached to the pivot. So I had much practice growing up, but haven't touched a tube for a few years. I guess it's like riding a bike you don't forget.

Another fun activity was the rock and roll ice cream station. We learned you do have to shake the creams and sugars to get ice cream and that it takes a lot of work to make the yummy treat. Everybody took a turn and we all enjoyed the reward.

Those are orange trees in the background. The lead professor at the station cultivated these trees from orange seeds he saved and planted as a child. Those trees are almost 60 years old! For kids that always ask about the seeds in fruit that was interesting proof.  The neatest part of the day, for me, was talking and seeing science with my kids. It was also enlightening to see how these diligent professors search for ideas and ways to make life better for people in our county. There are a lot of people who work hard trying to make the world better we are blessed by their efforts and ice cream!