Second grade students explored farm-to-table connections with Franklin County Fair Manager Amy Fleshman, who shared her firsthand knowledge of agriculture and animal care.
Wellington second graders recently welcomed Amy Fleshman, Franklin County Fair Manager and long-time member of 4-H — a national youth development organization that supports hands-on learning in areas like agriculture, health, and civic engagement. Fleshman, whose family has been involved in farming for generations, led an engaging lesson focused on chickens and the role they play in the food system. She began by defining agriculture as the practice of cultivating plants and raising animals for food and other products. With clarity and care, she walked students through the essentials of raising chicks — from shelter and bedding to nutrition and temperature control. Along the way, students learned that chickens bathe in sand to stay clean and require a mineral-rich diet to stay healthy.
Fleshman explained the difference between egg-laying hens and meat birds, sharing that egg layers can begin producing around six months old and lay an egg every 24 to 26 hours, while meat birds grow quickly and are ready in as little as eight weeks. She also emphasized the responsibility farmers have to care for their animals, land, and crops with attention and intention. In an age when many children (and adults) are removed from the realities of food production, Fleshman’s visit offered meaningful, real-world insight into where our food comes from — and why that knowledge matters. Students asked thoughtful questions about raising chickens, learning that it takes about 28 days for chicks to hatch, and that predators, from raccoons to hawks, are a constant challenge.