The Sager Farm Field Trip

by Morgan Conley

Massanutten Regional Governor’s School students were taken on a field trip to Sager Farm in November of this year. Students were transported to the farm for a day of investigation on the conservation measures taken there. Students met up with the farmer, who explained the new additions that had been made. They were given a tour of the manure storage area, where cows ate and produced manure. This manure was then piled up and eventually used for fertilizer. Students learned that the reason for this manure storage area was to prevent the manure from polluting the water around the farm. Students also learned the reasons for the placement of fences, and the benefits of rotating the cattle. Cows will eat and kill all of the grass in a certain area if they are not rotated often. Lily Harner, a Junior at MRGS said,  “It was fun to walk around the farm and learn about the best management practices that were taking place there.”

Overall, the field trip was very educational and built on what MRGS students were learning in class. Students had previously learned about the conservation actions that could be taken on a farm. The field trip heightened students' awareness of what those actions actually looked like, as well as how the installations affected the environment.