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Copyright (c) 2010
Winters Express
312 Railroad Avenue, Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-4551
news@wintersexpress.com
Web site by
shawnpatrickcollins
@yahoo.com
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Annual Farm Day honors Gamper while teaching
about ag
By DEBBIE HEMENWAY
Staff writer
Twenty-three years ago, teacher Robin Gamper organized the first Farm
Day at Waggoner Elementary School. In the decades since, Farm Day has
become an annual event, keeping students in touch with the agricultural
heritage of the community.
It has also taken on a new name, Robin Gamper Farm Day, in honor of the
much-loved teacher who died of breast cancer in 1999.
Last week, the 2013 edition, now in the hands of kindergarten teacher
Ambi Gardner, gave the youngsters a chance to get up close and personal
with goats and chickens and rabbits, as well as to see farm equipment
in action and to participate in classroom presentations on a variety of
topics.
Farmer and School Board Trustee Rob Warren brought his shaker and backhoe
to the campus. The youngsters clearly enjoyed watching a tree shimmy in
the grips of the shaker and seeing the backhoe rise up balanced on one
of its scoops, but Warren ruefully admitted that this year’s star
in the farm equipment show was John Frazier’s sprayer-equipped helicopter,
which sat in the middle of the grassy play area.
Under the trees on the southern edge of the schoolyard a small farmyard
took shape, with a variety of small animals to admire and touch.
Jillian Miller’s exotic chickens particularly drew looks of amazement
and lots of questions and seemed unruffled by the petting and attention
that the children lavished on them.
In the classrooms, local crops, riparian mammals, beneficial insects,
animal eyes and beekeeping were the subjects of presentations.
There was fresh fruit for everyone, and isn’t eating well the whole
point?
The event sponsors were Mariani Nut Company, Pacific Ace Hardware and
the Winters PTA.
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