3rd Annual Blue Ridge Pre-K Farm Field Trip

Written by: Kendra Brant, Susquehanna County Dairy Maid

My Name is Kendra Brant and I am in 5^th grade at Blue Ridge Elementary School and also I am a Susquehanna County Dairy Maid. For the past three years my family has sponsored a field trip for the Blue Ridge Pre-K students to our family farm, Brant’s Dairy Farm.

Blue Ridge Pre-School visits Keith and Pam Brant's Dairy Farm.

​This year my entire family was involved. My sister Kaelynn and I spoke to the students about raising dairy calves. We emphasized what they are fed and how as they grow they get moved to different areas of the barn to meet their needs.

My brother Kyle was one of the Pre-K students that attended from Mrs. Whitehead’s class.  My Dad, Keith, and some of his staff were at various stations in the barn including how the cows are milked and what they get to eat throughout the day.  My Mom, Pam, helped with snacks for the children and helped to get the event organized. 

Rachael Johnson, the Susquehanna County Alternate Dairy Princess was stationed in the milk house. She talked to the kids about the process of cooling and storing the milk and how it gets shipped it to the milk plant.

Susquehanna County Alternate Dairy Princess Rachel Johnson and Dairy Maid Kendra Brant serve a snack of Go-gurt to all of the Pre-K children.

Michelle Kowalewski, Educator at Susquehanna County Penn State Extension and Evie Goff, Susquehanna County Dairy Princess and Promotion Chairperson both helped by providing education to the students along their journey through the barn. 

​At the end of the tour the children were offered a healthy snack of Go-Gurt, yogurt snack. The dairy promotion team spoke to the Pre-K students about the importance of getting 3 healthy servings of dairy products every day. 

My family and I plan on continuing this educational trip on an annual basis as many young children have never experience a visit to a dairy farm. It was fun for me and the kids appeared to have a great time as well.