Virtual Farm Tour
Take your students on a virtual field trip to a Michigan dairy farm! Students will see how dairy farmers care for their calves and cows, their community and the environment while producing nutritious and delicious milk.
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STEM Virtual Farm Tour
See STEM in action while we celebrate National Farmers Day with a virtual farm tour! The 45-minute live tour of Sanborn and Sons Dairy Farm in central Michigan will showcase how dairy farmers use Science, Technology, Engineering and Math on the farm. Farmer Justine will show where the cows and calves live, what they eat, and how she uses data to make decisions. She will also discuss other professionals she works with to keep the cows nourished and healthy. During the tour, students will have the opportunity to ask Farmer Justine questions.
Watch the tour:
Virtual Farm Tour in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Head up north with Milk Means More for a 30-minute live tour of Brock Dairy Farm in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Farmer Anne will discuss how she takes care of the cows, calves, land and community. Students will see where the calves and cows live and where the cows are milked. If you or your students have questions during the tour, Farmer Anne will answer them. The tour is open to all ages and will target students in K – 5th grades
Watch the tour:
Resources:
Questions & Answers: Refer to this document to help answer some questions frequently asked during a tour.
Scavenger Hunt: Click here to download a Scavenger Hunt to keep students looking for fun facts on the dairy farm.
Michigan Academic Standards:
From Michigan Dairy Farmers to You – video series for students in grades 6-12
Series of virtual dairy farm tours for students in 6th-12th grades that brings the farm to the students. Each episode focuses on a different topic and runs 7 – 10 minutes. Throughout the video series, students will learn about caring for calves, keeping cows comfortable and well-nourished, collecting milk from cows and using technology on the farm. Students will also meet professionals that work directly with dairy farm families. With nearly 1,200 dairy farms in Michigan, this program provides an overview of how dairy farmers in our state care for their cows, the environment and provide nutritious milk.
Episodes:
- Calf Care and Meet a Dairy Veterinarian
- What Cows Eat and Meet a Dairy Nutritionist
- Milkhouse and Meet a Milk Truck Driver
- How Dairy Farmers Care for Their Cows
- Milking Cows
🧀 Virtual Tour of a Michigan Dairy Processor 🧀
Do you know where milk goes after it leaves the farm? Follow Milk Means More to Guernsey Farms Dairy. The tour starts with the milk truck arriving at the processing plant after collecting milk from the farm that morning. Students will then see all the steps to prepare the milk for bottling or to become other dairy foods. Guernsey Farms Dairy even makes their own ice cream!
Questions & Answers: Refer to this document for frequently asked questions during a processing plant tour.
Previous Live Tours:
Spring 2023 – Sustainability Virtual Dairy Farm Tour
Join Milk Means More for a live virtual tour of a Michigan dairy farm to learn how dairy farmers practice sustainability. Farmer James Weber will discuss how he works each day on regenerative practices including recycling, responsibly composting, applying nutrients to the soil and keeping surrounding water clean. If you have questions during the tour, you will have an opportunity to ask Farmer James. The tour is open to all ages and will target students in 3rd – 5th grades.
Use the Dairy Recyclers lesson with your students to encourage them to make sustainability one of their goals and create awareness of the role of dairy farmers in preserving and protecting the environment. The program includes a teacher’s guide, activity sheets and a poster. The virtual tour will support Activity 1 – Planet Protectors: Dynamic Dairy Farmers! and Activity 2 – Dairy Cows: Nature’s Moo-velous Recyclers!
Fall 2022 Virtual Farm Tour Series
Stop #1 – Siegler Dairy Farm
Join Milk Means More for a 45– minute tour of Siegler Dairy Farm in Michigan. Farmer Kip discusses how he takes care of the cows, calves, land and community. Students will see the full crop cycle, from planting to harvest, along with the tractors and equipment used on the farm. Geared to students in grades 3rd – 5th.
Stop #2 – Clearview Dairy Farm
Join Milk Means More for a 30– minute tour of Clearview Dairy Farm in western Michigan. Farmer Brian shows where the calves and cows live and where the cows are milked. Students will hear how Brian and Michigan dairy farmers are recycling water and using sustainability practices to care for the land around their farm. Geared to students in grades K – 2nd.
Stop #3 – K & K Dairy Farm
Join Milk Means More for a 45– minute tour of K & K Dairy Farm in central Michigan. Farmer Kristi shows where the calves and cows live along with technology they use to care for their animals! Farmer Kristi is also a dairy nutritionist and explains what the cows eat to consume the nutrients it takes to produce nutritious and delicious milk. Geared to students in grades 3rd – 5th.
Kindergarten – 2nd Grades
This 30-minute tour of Walnutdale Farms in western Michigan showcases the care of calves, the milking process and the journey of milk from farm to table. This tour targets students in K-2nd grades.
3rd – 5th Grades
This 45-minute tour of Ritter Farms in central Michigan takes students through the life cycle of a dairy cow and how dairy farmers work hard to care for the land. Students will see the milking process, how milk is collected from the cow, the steps taken to keep it cold and safe, and where it waits for the milk truck driver to pick it up.