The Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District held its annual Farm Days Programs on Oct. 15 and 16 at the Virginia Beach Farmers Market. Virginia Dare’s mission is to help educate children about agriculture and natural resource conservation so when 815 City of Virginia Beach first graders and teachers attended Farm Days, there was much to celebrate. Students toured several educational stations where they learned about the many facets of agriculture, the importance of the industry to the cities and region, and the importance of natural resource conservation.

Students toured 10 different hands-on educational stations with each stop lasting 15 minutes. Tour stops included crops and grain art, forestry, horses with Equi-Kids, livestock, poultry and a Master Gardeners’ sponsored craft station. Students also participated in activities to teach them about the water cycle. At lunch, the students enjoyed the Agricadabra magic show that incorporated Standards of Learning and Virginia agriculture facts. A major hit among the children was when they boarded a wagon for a hayride to the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin to take home. 

Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District credited the following significant contributors with helping to make the event so successful:

• Appomattox River Soil and Water Conservation District
• Army Corps of Engineers
• Chowan Basin Soil and Water Conservation District
• Chesapeake Department of Agriculture
• Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District
• Equi Kids
• Farm Fresh
• Hanover-Caroline Soil and Water Conservation District
• Hunt Club Farm
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
• Southeast United Dairy Industry Association
• Tidewater Bee Keeper Association
• USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service
• Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture
• Virginia Beach Farmers Market
• Virginia Departments of Conservation and Recreation, Environmental Quality, and Forestry
• Virginia Grain Growers Association
• Virginia Soybean Growers Association  

For more information about Farm Days or the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District, contact Roy D. Flanagan III at 385-8607.

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