This has been a crazy week here in northwest Iowa. Everything has been kicked into high gear, but we’re still having fun.
First off, I would like to include a link to my blog post from last week. I did something wrong and it didn’t get posted right. So, my apologies about that!
Peas and Mingling
This week was a fun week at PoP Club! The kids played Vendor Bingo! To get a bingo, the kids had to go around to the vendors at the farmers’ market and interact with them. The interactions consisted of asking the vendors questions, learning about the vendors’ operations, and telling the vendors about themselves. The vendors absolutely LOVED this activity. They got to meet the kids, and the kids got to learn more about the production process. Additionally, the kids got to interact with vendors that don’t sell items that can be bought with PoP tokens, such as honey, jam, and soap vendors. After they got a Bingo, they got a balloon and had the opportunity to try sugar snap peas. If they tried the peas, they got to join the official taste tester club and got a sticker to prove it. Most of the kids liked the sugar snap peas, and we only had a few that didn’t like them.
Additionally, I finished creating the July PoP Club booklet, and those will be available soon. We give out booklets every month to our PoP Club members that are full of activities that the kids can complete related to the activities that we are doing in PoP Club.
COWS!!!
For anyone who knows me, they know that I love cows. When I’m driving down the road and I see cows, I always let out a high-pitched “COWS!” squeal. This has even become a game between my boyfriend and myself. Whoever sees the cows first will let out the first squeal, which is sometimes followed by a secondary squeal from the other person. So, when I found out that I got to spend the day with our Beef Specialist Beth Doran, I was beyond excited.
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to spend a day with Beth at the Feedlot Forum in Sioux Center, IA. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Feedlot Forum event had to be postponed from January to June. This event is organized by ISU Extension and Outreach and the Cattlemen’s Association of Lyon, Sioux, and Plymouth counties. I enjoyed having the opportunity to see some of the programs our specialists create every year and see them in action. I learned a lot about beef cattle, the beef industry, and beef policies that I didn’t know before. I would definitely recommend attending a program that is put on by Beth Doran! They are very interactive, informative, and worth it. The day went by so fast!
Festival Latino
So, I grew up relatively close to Orange City, IA, but I had never heard about Festival Latino until this week. This is a festival that occurs annually and celebrates Latino culture and heritage. There were food trucks, horse shows, live bands, and kids’ activities at the event. This is where I came in. Sioux County ISU Extension and Outreach had a booth, and I helped with it. Our Beef Specialist Beth Doran had a table and handed out beef meat cut flyers, coloring books, pencils, and the cutest squishy hamburger keychains. I helped Donna Mills, the Sioux County PROSPER team leader and Master Gardener Coordinator, with her table. Kids and adults had the opportunity to plant hens and chicks succulents to take home. It was a hit, and we planted many plants (I’m not sure of the exact number). It was a lot of fun to spend time with the Latino community and be immersed in their culture. Before I knew it, our time was up, and it was time to clean up and go home. The 2 hours flew by fast, and it felt like we were there for only 30 minutes. I wish that I would have taken more pictures of all the festivities there. If you are ever in the Orange City Area at the end of June, make sure to spend some time at Festival Latino!
This week has flown by so fast, and it was such a fun week. Fairs start for me next week, so wish me luck as I head into the busy fair season!
Have a great 4th of July weekend!
-Alex