It is almost hands on because you walk the barn, feel the hay, pet the animals, drink the milk and eat the cheese. No wonder the classroom sign up is so great. Gonzalez says he is mailing promos two months in advance and filling the scheduled days well ahead of time for the event. Teachers believe it is well worth the time away from their classrooms. The local dairy industry, both dairymen and processors are vital to this effort.
Dairymen provide the cows to be milked and petted.
They are on hand to talk to the children every day about the animals and the dairy. The processors, Borden's, Lane's, Farmer's and Price's, provided milk for everyone throughout the two weeks. Processor owners and employees were on hand to help throughout the show. For the Curds and Whey presentation, children and teachers receive a piece of cheese, also provided by local companies. The kids learn about use of an acid in milk and the final discovery of a solid, cheese.