COLUMBIA, MO. -- Kids of all ages will get the chance to learn about life on the farm.
The South Farm Showcase lets children learn about animals and agriculture through a wide variety of fun activities.
South Farm is one of Mizzou’s most important agricultural experiment stations. The South Farm Showcase is the one day of the year when children visit the farm for a bug hunt, pumpkin painting contests and mule team wagon rides.
South Farm Assistant Director John Poehlmann said, “It’s an opportunity to see a cow or feel the inside of a cow. You can look at a horse and see its size. It’s a real hit with the younger kids.”
Insect expert John Houseman plans to cook up a few bug recipes for a quick snack during the showcase. Baby beetles, also known as meal worms, provide a tasty treat for those brave enough to try one.
Houseman said, “We always eat bugs in our food. They’re just chopped up into little pieces. We don’t realize it. We unintentionally eat a lot of bug parts. This time, we give people a chance to intentionally eat a bug. The kids think it’s great.”
Kids at the Showcase can also check out a portable saw mill. They’ll find out that Missouri’s forests offer a lot more than just wood products. The saw mill is a big attraction that helps highlight other things that come from our forests.
MU Agroforestry Researcher Dusty Walter said, “We highlight a number of products that have a great deal of utility in society. Everyone can appreciate toilet paper. Forestry is more than just the product. It’s also about growing the forest and planting new trees to replenish what we’ve harvest.”
The South Farm Showcase will also have a petting zoo, hayrides, a Missouri wine demonstration, and of course, a corn maze. The event is free and open to the public.
The MU South Farm Showcase takes place on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The farm sits about a quarter-mile east of the Highway 63 AC Exit.
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