SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Tyler Beck of Beck Farms, Freeville, N.Y., and Chris Waddell of Apple Shamrock Dairy Farms, Townville, Pa., hosted two of American Dairy Association North East’s spring Virtual Farm Tours, the award-winning virtual program that has garnered more than 550,000 viewers since 2018.
Two separate tour sessions, along with free lesson plans, took place on the same day at each farm, including:
- For Grades 6-12 – A deep dive tour that focuses on how farms use technology and experts to provide care for their animals and the land.
- For Pre-K- Grade 5 – A general tour with that covers three primary areas on the farm – where calves live, where cows live, and where cows are milked.
The free teacher-developed student lesson plans meet Common Core Standards for elementary, middle and high school classes.
Offered in real time, the tours allow students and teachers to ask questions as the farmer host walks through the barns.
“With less than two percent of the population farming now, it’s even more important that people understand where their food comes from,” said Waddell. “Hosting a farm tour like this is a great opportunity to help thousands of kids make that connection at one time.”
Waddell’s tour drew nearly 6,700 registrations, and Beck’s tour had 8,000, registrations – with the option to view the tour live or watch the recording later.
“It’s a seamless way to tell our own story and share the facts about what we do, why we do, and how we do it,” said Beck who has hosted in-person and virtual tours. “It’s always nice to have the face-to-face interaction with visitors, but when you’re doing tours on a larger scale like this, it’s logistically easier to host them virtually.”
A third spring tour is set for May 25, to be hosted by Crystal Stambaugh Edwards of Pheasant Echos Farm, Westminster, Md. Registration information will be available closer to the date.
Watch Beck’s and Waddell’s tours here, or visit AmericanDairy.com, and click on “Virtual Farm Tours” under the “For Schools” tab.
–American Dairy Association North East
