Teaching farm safety to younger generations
Published 9:11 am Tuesday, April 19, 2011
GLENVILLE — Glenville-Emmons FFA members enjoy teaching younger generations about farm safety.
“It’s important for children to be safe because farm deaths do happen,” student Alayna Hall said.
Recently at the end of March, high schoolers went to speak at Glenville-Emmons Elementary School to talk about agriculture. One activity they did was to play Fact or Manure, where they asked the younger students true or false questions like “Do brown cows make chocolate milk?”
The G-E FFA members also hold an Agriculture Safety Day every other year.
The students said they’ll start preparing for the safety instruction event next March. Preparation includes coordinating a day for students to be out of the elementary schools and growing some of the plants they use for activities.
FFA students Spencer Wangen, Gavin Allison and Landon Hall said they participate by bringing pieces of equipment to the event to show the kids how to properly use each piece and which parts are dangerous.
Some of the equipment they bring in include hay balers, wagons, augers and smaller tractors, among other items. One important item the students make sure to talk about is the power take off, which is the mechanism that gives power to whatever is hooked to the tractor.
It’s one of the most dangerous pieces of farm equipment because it spins quickly and can catch clothing or hair easily, Wangen said. To show the kids how fast it works they’ll purposely catch a string in one to show how fast it winds it up.
Before going near any equipment or operating anything kids should “always ask the farmer,” student Kendra Davis said.
She said it’s easy to get caught up in an activity and forget about being safe. Another important part of the day is teaching kids safety with animals, including cows, hogs, dogs and others.
“All animals are protective,” Davis said.
FFA Adviser Angie James said the school is lucky that businesses like Erlandson’s of Albert Lea and Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services bring displays or equipment to help smaller children understand the dangers of farming.
The FFA students said they’re glad to teach younger kids about agriculture safety because the small community is centered around agriculture. They remind children that people have died in farming accidents in the area, and they’re hoping to avoid any more deaths.
“We want to teach them to do the right things, but we don’t want to scare them away,” Wangen said.