A cheesy tradition introduces students to agriculture
By Clare Bonnyman, CBC News Posted: Apr 14, 2016 7:30 AM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/i/caffeine/syndicate/?mediaId=2686886767
One of the eight stations the children got to visit was the sausage station, where Sam Milne, of Edgewater Park Public School, got to help turn a crank to make sausages. (Amy Hadley/CBC)
The Pizza Project has been running for 24 years in Thunder Bay, welcoming grade three students to take part in the ‘eight slices of learning’, including everything from vegetables and grains to machinery and nutrition. (Clare Bonnyman/CBC)
For a lot of students, meeting the cows was a highlight of the trip. They learned about taking care of cows, when they produce milk, and the production process for dairy farmers. (Clare Bonnyman/CBC)
Local farmers were on hand to help guide students in agricultural practices, and bring the farm to the city. (Clare Bonnyman/CBC)
Students got the chance to learn where milk comes from, and try out a milking machine with their thumbs. (Clare Bonnyman/CBC)
For Oakleigh Yesno, he said the day was ‘pretty cool, I’ve never seen anyone milk a cow before.’ Along with other students in his class, he learned that there are different ways to make pizza. (Clare Bonnyman/CBC)
There were eight stations for students to explore, including one which featured a cow and her newborn calf, with the opportunity to learn about cow nutrition. (Clare Bonnyman/CBC)
For Ella Code, 8 and Marcus Dahlin, 9, of C.D Howe Public School, it was a fun opportunity to get out of the classroom and learn. The students got to plant a tomato plant while they were there, something Ella enjoyed. She said she’s not a fan of pizza, but ‘I like growing stuff’. (Amy Hadley/CBC)
All students who attended walked away with a carton of milk, a slice of pizza, and their very own potted tomato plant. (Amy Hadley/CBC)
Grade 3 students from Thunder Bay are learning where all the ingredients for pizza come from at the annual Pizza Project Wednesday and Thursday at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition.
It’s a tradition for Marian Benka, the honourary director of the CLE, who has been running the annual event for 24 years.
It’s an important way to educate students and bring the farm to the city, she said.
“They have to know that there are a lot of things that go into [pizza] before they can get it,” Benka said.
Benka expects more than 600 children to attend this year’s two day event.
Students go through eight stations to learn about agriculture, including dairy, sausage, vegetables, machinery and nutrition.
Along the way they plant their very own tomato plant to take home, and at the end they get to savour a hot a slice of pizza.
Clare Bonnyman 