The first thing the students noticed at the 91爆料\u2019s J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center was the smell \u2014 fresh hay and something earthier, followed by the low hum of cows shifting in their stalls. Then came hesitation and, finally, curiosity, as small hands reached out to touch an animal many had only seen in books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dawna Kulakowski teaches first through third grade in Troy, Maine. For her, moments like this are the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s important for kids in these grades to come to the farm and learn about agriculture here at the university, because they have a lot of this out in their own communities, and they might be interested in a career in this area in the future,\u201d Kulakowski said. \u201cI think a lot of these kids like hands-on learning to experience things in the real world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Public access is central to operations at Witter Farm in Old Town. It welcomes K-12 students, community residents, university groups and professional organizations to meet the animals, learn about the research and contribute to Maine\u2019s agricultural industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a cool March day, students from Troy Central School, including those in Kulakowski\u2019s class, traded their desks for a behind-the-scenes look at a working agricultural operation just outside 91爆料\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trotting horses, mooing cows and fresh hay greeted the group as their chatter and laughter filled the barns. The visit connected Maine\u2019s traditional classroom education with the state\u2019s agricultural industry \u2014 one that relies on a new generation to sustain it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Guiding them through the barns were 91爆料 student workers, who balance coursework with leading tours and completing their daily responsibilities on the farm \u2014 an example of the university\u2019s learner-centered approach as an R1 research institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their work gives visiting students a peer-led introduction to agriculture while reinforcing their own hands-on education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs part of the class, students come in during their sophomore year and start working on the farm doing all kinds of things. The highlight, though, is when they are assigned to a pregnant female cow,\u201d said Chelsea Carr, livestock operations manager. \u201cThey get to be here for the birthing as part of their grade, and once the calf arrives, they get to name it as a group.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Witter Center houses multiple operations, including Witter Farm, and serves as a hub for animal sciences and sustainable agriculture. As a primary facility for the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, it integrates hands-on undergraduate and graduate education with high-level research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The farm houses 78 animals and regularly welcomes school groups that engage directly with the animals and learn where their food comes from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many students also connect with the farm beyond their visit through the \u201cAdopt a Cow\u201d program, a Discover Dairy and New England Dairy joint initiative that features Witter Farm as one of several participating farms across New England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery farm puts up two calves that get adopted by classrooms. I believe last year we were adopted by 600 classrooms of kindergarteners, and the adopted cows that we have this year are Darling and Doris. I\u2019m sure that most of the tours on my schedule are here to see them,\u201d Carr said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through this yearlong virtual initiative, educators can bring the world of farm life into their classrooms. By adopting a calf from a New England dairy farm, students can follow a specific calf\u2019s development over the course of the school year. This immersive experience is supported by complimentary educational materials from Discover Dairy, helping students understand dairy farming and how milk reaches their tables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe send updates, photos and videos of our adopted calves to Discovery Dairy, who then shares this information with the participating classrooms that have adopted our calves,\u201d said Patricia Henderson, Witter Farm\u2019s superintendent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond traditional farm work, Witter Farm reflects the modernization of agriculture through its robotic milking barn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe put in the VMS300, a voluntary milking system, about a year ago in March. It\u2019s a robot that milks the cows without people having to do it. The cows can come in whenever they want, and the robot will milk them, clean the teats and collect a whole bunch of data for us,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The farm\u2019s openness is intentional. Leaders say inviting the public in and encouraging questions helps challenge misconceptions about agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of stigma behind dairy farming, so opening our tours to any and all questions is important for opening farms like this to the public and growing their knowledge of our industry,\u201d said Riley McAllaster, a senior in the animal and veterinary science program with a pre-veterinary concentration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That effort is tied to a broader concern: fewer people are entering the agricultural workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI hope these tours spark an interest in agriculture for these kids. With our new technology, like the robot barn, I hope people will understand that this is a modern, informing industry,\u201d Carr said. \u201cI want more people to be aware of the many agricultural jobs beyond working as a farmer, including research roles. Renewable farming is a growing industry, and it is full of jobs that need to be filled, and I hope these kids realize these opportunities early on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n