Canola Learning Centre Report 2007

The 2007 season of the Canola Learning Centre turned out to be a summer full of fun, excitement and learning. This was the 11th season of the Canola Learning Centre and we welcomed 914 children to Kelburn Farm to take part in the activities.

The weather was very nice in April and May, and so seeding was done on time, if not a bit early. There was a lot of rain that fell in June however, and the prevalence of some heavy thunderstorms resulted in one or two group cancellations. Other than those that chose to cancel, we had groups come out all throughout June despite the rainy weather. We ran everything as normal, adjusting the timing of activities to work around the rain. July and early August brought extremely hot temperatures, which caused the crops to come up early and dry out quickly. Some daycare groups were concerned about the heat and humidity, so we limited the time outside and made sure to keep everyone well hydrated in those instances. Despite the rain and humidity, this summer gave us overall wonderful weather at the farm. Most groups were lucky to get sunshine and a slight breeze, and this made the kids eager to do outside activities.

This year at the Canola Learning Centre, we had many activities available for the groups to take part in. All activities went over very well, and we had very good responses, saying that our activities were well fitted for all age groups. During a typical tour, the day was filled with hands-on activities in the classroom as well as interactive activities outside. We did activities such as the Canola Crush (a long time favourite that was enjoyed even by repeat-groups), Seed Puzzles, the Food Match Game (matching seeds to final food product), Agriculture Game Show, Canola is People activity, and The World is an Apple demonstration. Outside, the kids were able to see and identify major Manitoba crops, examine the canola, wheat and flax plants up close, ride on a tractor-pulled wagon, sweep for insects, look at the farm machinery and grain bins and scout for weeds. All groups really enjoyed seeing the big combine up close, and the kids just loved sitting in the driver’s seat of the gigantic Air Seeder. When we had nice weather, a fast-paced game of ‘Agriculture Tag’ was perfect for running off excess energy and enjoying the outdoors.

The 2007 season included two ‘special events’ that were held at Kelburn Farm. In late May, four grade 10 classes from Miles Mac Collegiate visited the farm to take part in a one day presentation from Monsanto. We had a special guest speak to the high school students about biotechnology, genetic modification and seed breeding. This proved to be an incredibly interesting day for both the students and the staff of MCGA.

Later in the summer we had 50 kids from Beaumont Daycare visit the farm on August 10th for a fun-filled day of fast cars! The Jet Funny Car, which runs completely on 100% canola-based bio diesel, was showcased at Kelburn Farm. The driver, Kevin Therres, spoke to the children about using canola as a bio fuel, driving a race car, following your dreams, staying drug-free and the importance of education. To top off the day, Kevin’s crew started up the jet car, and we saw huge flames and streams of smoke shoot out the back! The noise was so incredible that we had to provide each child with earplugs! This event turned out to be a great day for the kids, and after they were done viewing the car, we continued on with the regular Canola Learning Centre activities.

Overall, the 11th season of the Canola Learning Centre went over extremely well. We had positive comments come back from each group that completed the evaluation. Many commented that the length of the tour and the activities were a perfect fit for all ages. Both the school and daycare groups were energetic, full of enthusiasm, and ready to learn. The Canola Learning Centre is still going strong, and will no doubt continue to be successful in the years to come.