Friends of Agriculture Education Day

For nearly 25 years, the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District has coordinated the Agriculture Education Day at the Oxford County Fair.  Each year we attempted to bring something new to the program and have worked diligently in most recent years to satisfy the “Learning Results” requirements.  This program has brought components that focus on science, math and social studies for the students.  With more disappointment than you might imagine, we are forced to announce that there will not be an Agriculture Education Day Program at the Oxford Fair this year.

The Soil and Water Conservation District began its planning for this program in late March.  A date for a planning meeting with the Fair Committee Officers was requested for April 2^nd.  However, a voice mail message was left announcing that there would be no Agriculture Education Day because the school budgets could not afford to bus the students to the Fair for this event.   

You as educators can help us convey to the Oxford County Fair Board, the value of this program and your desire to see the program reinstated next year.  The Fair Board also needs to know how the funds to bring the students to Agriculture Education Day are raised (i.e. fundraising efforts of the Parent Teachers Associations).

The Fair Committee Officers have decided to offer their own “Community Day” on a Sunday for families attending the Oxford County Fair instead of allowing the Conservation District to offer the Agriculture Education Day program to the schools, homeschoolers, day cares and special needs groups on Wednesday during the fair.

The education provided in such a natural setting cannot be found in any other place.  Yes, some families will come to the fair, but those with less means and impacted by today’s economy will not get to the fair missing everything Agriculture Education Day offers.   Let the Oxford County Fair Officials know how you feel about this.  They are listed at www.oxfordcountyfair.com.

                A beekeeping station                                              The petting zoo

          Butter making station                                                Milking station

SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL ENVIROTHON

Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District partnered with Androscoggin Valley, Cumberland County, Franklin County and York County Soil and Water Conservation Districts to plan and coordinate the Southwestern Regional Envirothon.  The Envirothon program is a competition for teams of high school students in their knowledge and problem solving skills in natural resources.  The topics the students were tested in covered aquatics (water quality), forestry, soils, wildlife and a current issue.  This year's current issue addressed groundwater sustainability.  It was so fitting to have the event located at the Poland Spring Historical Musuem and Conference Center on Preservation Way in Poland. Cory and Heather of Poland Spring Bottling went well beyond the call of duty to make the day a sucess.    

Twenty teams of up to five students participated.  The day was wet; however, it went very well with First Place going to Boghaunter Home School, Second Place to Mount Ararat, third place to Jay 2 and Fourth place to Lisbon High..

The day was wet; however, it went very well with First Place going to Boghaunter Home School, Second Place to Mount Ararat, third place to Jay 2 and Fourth place to Lisbon High.

                                 Wildlife Station                                            Soils Station