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The BIRTHING BARN Exhibit
Our SRBs were given firsthand look at the beginning of life on a farm. This exhibit allows us to witness the live birth of calves, providing an educational experience that highlights the care, science, and dedication involved in modern farming. Through this interactive exhibit, we gain a deeper understanding of Wisconsin’s dairy industry and the vital role farmers play in raising healthy animals.
Yellow tags are their "names" which are numbers to keep track of their cows
Cows are curious so we need to stay quiet so we dont scare them
Cows ears determine which direction they are looking.
Cows need to be separate during the birthing process due to their curiosity, keeping the space gives them comfort
SIMULATORS
We had the opportunity to experience what it feels like for a cow to be milked using modern milking machines. They were able to insert their thumb into the machine to get a sense of the gentle suction that cows feel during the milking process. Another highlight of the visit was the John Deere tractor simulator, which allowed students to test their skills by virtually driving a tractor and harvesting as much corn as possible within two minutes. They practiced shifting gears and using the pedals to control their speed, competing to see who could collect the most corn by the end of the challenge.
CHEESE CHALLENGE
Workers at the facility lift 40-pound blocks of cheese by hand as part of their daily tasks. At this exhibit, SRBs were challenged to see if they could lift one of these heavy cheese blocks themselves. Some students successfully lifted it on their own, while others learned the importance of teamwork by asking for help and working together. This hands-on experience gave them a better understanding of the hard work and strength required to produce the cheese we enjoy every day.
FOODS JOURNEY
Farm Wisconsin teaches about Best Management Practices (BMPs) that farmers use to protect soil and water. farmers care for soil, water, and the environment. SRBs learned about the different types of soils and sands farmers work with and how they use BMPs to protect these natural resources.
We explored the different steps and processes farmers follow to provide the food we enjoy today, all connecting back to the MyPlate diagram and healthy eating.
Students had the opportunity to churn butter by "hand" and learned how ice cream is made. This hands-on experience helped them understand the hard work and processes behind producing everyday dairy products we enjoy.
STEAM LAB
Students participated in a fun STEAM lab where they were given three different colored cups filled with the same liquid. They created hypotheses about the flavor based on the color they saw. After tasting all three, they discovered the liquid was exactly the same, showing how our brain can be tricked by visual perception and how what we see can influence what we think or taste.
SRBs worked together and based off what they knew, they thought red could taste like: strawberry, raspberry, cherry, berry. Yellow possibly being: banana, pineapple, lemon. Blue: blueberry, blue raspberry, Gatorade. In the end they found out it was colored white grape juice! The colored dye and tricked their brains into thinking it was something else.
DAIRY FARM TOUR
We were given a tour of the dairy farms, where we got to see the cows, newborn calves, and the machines farmers use every day. While the cows and equipment were fascinating, the smell was definitely an unforgettable part of the experience!
YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!
We finished off the day by learning all about cows, where milk comes from, and how it’s collected and processed to make some of our favorite dairy products—like ice cream! After the tour, we got to enjoy ice cream made right there from their own cows. Let’s just say, it was delicious! The flavors included vanilla, blue moon, and caramel crunch, with classic vanilla being the clear favorite among the students.
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