About 600 Murfreesboro City Schools third-graders learned about the MTSU gardens Thursday, May 12, while another 600 took in the dairy portion of the university’s Experiential Learning and Research Center.

Several dozen buses transported the youngsters in two shifts to the MTSU Farm and Dairy in Lascassas, Tennessee, for the second “Farm2School” field trip in as many years.

The field trip is part of a partnership between Murfreesboro City Schools and MTSU. The two entities have collaborated to bring more than 28,000 students for four Education Days at MTSU women’s basketball games and teamed for many student-teaching events and educational and academic endeavors through the years.

Cristian Betancourth, 10, of John Pittard Elementary said he had a lot of fun and “learned how you can make things out of cow poop.”

Several MTSU and city schools staff members coordinated the four-hour event. Various MTSU students shared information about the dairy, the garden and life on a farm.

Murfreesboro City Schools participates in the national Farm2School Network program.

To learn more about the MTSU agriculture program, visit www.mtsu.edu/programs/agribusiness, www.mtsu.edu/programs/animal-scienceor call 615-898-2523.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Murfreesboro City Schools third-graders await a talk about the MTSU Dairy milking parlor from sophomore Taylor Schiefer, right, May 12 during the second “Farm-to-School” field trip to the MTSU Farm in Lascassas, Tennessee. (MTSU photos by Randy Weiler)

Murfreesboro City Schools third-graders touch food included in the MTSU dairy cattle’s diet during a “Farm2School” visit May 12 at the MTSU Farm and Dairy in Lascassas, Tennessee.