FARMINGTON — There was plenty of learning and a bit of fun Monday morning on the grounds of Farmington Fair as more than 1,000 students, teachers and chaperones checked out a variety of presentations during Agricultural-Environmental Day at the fair.

Students from four counties and more than 70 from home-schooled groups toured the barns, learned about everything from bees to Asian Longhorn beetles, conservation and forestry. Students gravitated towards the always-popular cow milking and tours of NorthStar ambulances.

Those are just some of the over 20 stations set up around the cattle sheds of the fairgrounds. The students also toured the historical agricultural museum, Red Schoolhouse, Maple Syrup House and Blacksmith Shop.

“We learned how to make paper,” said Dillon Nelson, and Asa Flanigan, both 6, of Carrabec after they watched the paper making demonstration provided by Verso Paper.

For the 22nd-year, the event was coordinated and sponsored by the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District.

“It’s going very well,” said Rosetta Thompson, executive director of the district, as she made the rounds through the barns where students “oohed” over the cows and poultry.

“I kiss cows,” said Eben Wing of Anson, a student of Garret Schenck School.

He’s a farmer, and he shares his own knowledge of farms and manure with this classmates, says his teacher Cindy Flanagin.

Warning the large group of students surrounding his table about the dangers of fires, forest ranger Mark Rousseau humorously shared his prevention message asking them to promise to never play with fire and to be careful with campfires.

Otherwise fire will burn “pencils and toilet paper, and I’ll have to share my bathroom with a moose,” he said before giving students a wooden pencil, ruler and a copy of the “true story of Smokey Bear.”

One of the new stations this year was based on seeds. Wes Marble of Marble Family Farm presented “Who is your mother,” Thompson said.

Forester Patty Cormier intrigued students with talk about erosion caused by running water while showing the need for trees along the stream bank. She also showed the effects of a beaver dam on the stream in her display of a pulp flume.

Apple cider, apple sauce and butter making demonstrations along with healthy eating games also were offered.

A final tally showed nearly 650 students from RSU 9, RSU 56 and Rangeley attended Ag Day along with 64 from Livermore in Androscoggin County, 71 from Fayette in Kennebec County and 164 from Somerset County.

There were also over 70 home schooled students and parents who attended, Thompson said.

 abryant@sunjournal.com

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