Two calves in Okeechobee are helping school children all over Florida learn about dairy farms.
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OKEECHOBEE – Two calves in Okeechobee are helping school children all over Florida learn about dairy farms.
Cookie, a Holstein, and Glenda, a Brown Swiss, live at Larson Dairy. This year they were chosen for the the Dairy Council of Florida’s “Adopt A Cow” program. The Dairy Council partners with schools throughout the state to create a culture of health and wellness for students, teachers and families.
This free program allows a class to “adopt” a cow for the school year. Throughout the year, they receive photos and information about the cow. They learn the cow’s name, when her birthday is, where she lives and how the farmer takes care of her. They also receive photos of the cow so they can see how much she has grown since the last update. The program includes activity sheets for the students and a lesson plan tha follows Common CORE standards.
More than 2,000 classes signed up to adopt Cookie or Glenda. The calves were at the Okeechobee Agri-Civic Center on Nov. 17 for Okeechobee’s Farm-City Luncheon.
The program is offered in every state with a dairy industry. Last year, a cow at Milkin R Dairy was chosen to represent Florida.
Some of the students who have been learning about Cookie and Glenda will have a chance to meet them in person at the South Florida Fair in West Palm Beach in January.
