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MetroParks Farm offers tractor tour
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Neighbors | Emily Gianetti .Tammie Conroy and daughter Marissa Conroy posed together in the bird house at the farm.
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Neighbors | Emily Gianetti.MetroParks guide Cindy Kingston explained important aspects of Ohio agriculture during the tour..
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Neighbors | Emily Gianetti.Alexia Giovannone, Jayden Colon and Vinny Giovannone held up their farm-themed crafts after taking a tractor ride through Mill Creek MetroParks..
By EMILY GIANETTI
Visitors curious about the inner workings of Ohio agriculture had the opportunity to tour the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm in Canfield by tractor on July 31.
The tour included a trip through fields of corn and soybeans, complete with an explanation by guide Cindy Kingston of how they are so vital to Ohio’s — and America’s — agriculture.
The crops can be turned into or used for a multitude of things: oil, animal feed and food products being just a few.
These days, the vast majority of food in supermarkets contains some corn or soybean ingredient.
“It was cool to see the farm and how everything works on it,” said Natalie Ricciutti, who went on the ride.
Farm animals were also on the list of stops for the day. Kids got to visit horses Eddie and Manny, birds, goats, and, to the childrens’ delight, a llama.
Afterward, children could make crafts about what they had just learned.
“It’s working with the kids and letting them know where their food comes from,” said Kingston. “All our programs are geared toward that.”
MetroParks conducts programs nearly all year round. In April, May, September and October, they give school tours and in November they provide programs on agriculture to students in preschool through eighth grade. Currently, they are hosting summer camps.
“We have education on each product. The kids like to learn about it, and they especially like to see the animals. That’s their favorite part,” said Kingston.