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Agricultural Day

2015 Agricultural Day was held on Saturday, 26th September.

Each year a special highlight of the Glenbervie School calendar is Agricultural Day.  We consider it important for a number of reasons.  It is part of being in a rural school and the Board and Staff are committed to keeping the rural character of the school.  Ag Day is a school day and very much part of the curriculum.  It is held on a Saturday so we can get the maximum participation from children and community members.

One of the significant aspects of Ag Day is the animal handling, where the children bring a pet lamb or calf that they have reared to parade and compete in various classes.
The Board and the school community wishes to encourage as many families as possible to enter an animal for Ag Day, and if you have not considered keeping an animal, or have thought about it briefly and felt daunted by the prospect, we invite you to take a moment to read on.

Rearing an animal is a wonderful experience for a child and is a focus for their own learning and development.  They will learn how to care for their animal and train it.  They will learn personal skills such as commitment, time management and patience.  This can be a greatly rewarding experience for the child, seeing their animal respond to the care and attention they give it.

 The school offers a great deal of support to animal handlers:
  • help with sourcing animals 
  • booklets on animal care
  • teaching about animal handling at school
  • videos and outside speakers to demonstrate care techniques
  • regular bulletins in the school newsletters
  • an Ag Day committee
  • advice from staff 

Specifics

  • Agricultural Day is held on a Saturday in September/October.  All children are expected to attend school.
  • Children who are unable to have an animal on the day will be involved in other activities.
  • Parents, grandparents, neighbours are very much part of the day.  We welcome all visitors to our Agricultural Day.
  • Food and refreshments are available on the day.

Animal Handlers

  • Children are encouraged to raise, feed and care for a lamb, kid or calf 
  • Animals are eligible if they are born between 1 July and 31 August of this year.
  • Calves are judged for leading, rearing (child’s effort) and beef or dairy type.
  • Lambs/kids are judged on leading, calling and rearing.
  • All animal handlers receive a ribbon of participation.
  • Any competitor may compete at the Whangarei Group Calf Club day at Barge Park, Maunu, usually in November.
  • Booklets on animal handling are available from school, ask your child’s teacher or at the school office.
  • Newsletters have regular Ag Day updates.
  • Agricultural Day Committee organises the many aspects of the day.  You may contact them if you wish to help – it’s a great way to become involved, meet people and of course many hands make light work.
  • Trophies.  There is an array of trophies to be won for the various classes, from senior to junior.  Most of these trophies have been donated by families of children who came to Glenbervie.
  • Animal feed (Milk Powder) and teats can be obtained from farm supply outlets e.g.Wrightsons, Beta Farm Supplies.  Feeding regimes and mixing instructions are always on the container.
  • Coaching for animal handlers is given at school in the form of information sessions, videos and visiting speakers.
  • Lianne Shirley is the staff contacts for anything to do with animals on Ag Day.  The school may be able to provide contact numbers for obtaining animals.
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