Saratoga Elementary School Hosts 2022 AG Day

The wind had a chill, but the sun was shining while the elementary school kids visited nine different stations to learn about Agriculture in the Upper North Platte Valley at the Saratoga Elementary School football field.

The students learned that Agriculture provides food, clothing, medicines and a variety of other products. Each student received beef jerky and fruit gummies, all of these items come from Agriculture.

Mikayla Crimmins kept the kids on their toes with Agriculture Olympics. There were four stations for the kids to compete. The first station required the kids to toss horseshoes into a bucket. At the second station they had to flip a big tire over, depending on the age of the child it was twice or ten times. Moving to the third station, which Crimmins said seemed to be their favorite, they had a bucket with faux milk in it and nipples attached. They had to squirt the "milk" into a bottle. At the fourth station, they filled a small bucket with corn from a larger bucket and then ran across the finish line.

A tour of a hay rake, provided by Greg Bartlett and Shively's, gave the students an understanding of how big the equipment is, that is required for harvesting hay.

Jen Sewell demonstrated how beef is butchered and what the various types of cuts are called.

Clyde Johnson showed off his working cattle dogs. Moon, a seasoned herding dog, showed off his prowess with the goats. A well trained dog is one of the primary tools a rancher uses for herding and rounding up livestock. In the western way of life, a working cow dog is essential. It may sound simple, but nothing about the dog's responsibility is easy. An average dog weighs about 50 pounds and has no fear of moving a 1,400 pound cow, some of which are aggressive–especially mother cows with young. There are many risks for cattle dogs including getting stepped on, run over or kicked. These dogs work in extreme temperatures and on treacherous terrain. From steep mountains, brushy hillsides or across sagebrush, they never slow down. They live to work and enjoy it as much as their ranching partners. They will stay by their master from dawn until dusk, waiting for the next whistle or command to run into the herd and help. The cowboy knows that his trusty dog is by his side, facing the challenges with working a cattle ranch and being his best friend.

Mark Dunning explained the importance of Ranching with Technology using GPS and ranch management. Water, gate and pasture monitors are built into software allowing ranchers to monitor water levels and turn on water to refill tanks, know when gates are open, or a fence is down. Pasture monitors help manage crops and herd rotation. There are several software apps that integrate critical genetic and health data, allowing for better breeding plans for herds, creating a higher quality product.

Dori Fritz brought her two best ponies that she uses primarily for teaching children about horsemanship and care. She allowed the students to pet the horses and explained their care and purpose on the ranch.

Emily Haver showed an exhibit of 4-H Animal Husbandry.

Carrie Haderlie, Saratoga Elementary Parent Teacher Organization and the Cattlewomen, provided water and carrots to the students as they walked from station to station. Refreshing the kids and showing the importance of helping each other, being kind and providing a service to someone.

Siara Hatch showed leatherworks and explained the process involved in getting to the finished product. Leather is a sustainable product, a by-product of the cattle industry. The US leather industry is helping cattle ranchers by currently recycling 85% of cattle hides produced. Hatch explained to the students the products that come from leather, such as saddles, belts, boots, shoes, seat covers and gloves. They had examples of different kinds of leather including hippo, elephant and camel.