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Published on 03/13/03

Learning is fun, from 'agriculture' to 'zoo'

By April Reese
University of Georgia

March is National Agriculture Month. To celebrate, the University of Georgia and the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association will try to make learning about agriculture fun at Zoo Atlanta.

The annual "A to Z: Agriculture at the Zoo" event will be Saturday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will showcase agriculture for urban Georgians.

"When most people think of agriculture, they think of rural life and farming," said Faith Peppers, public affairs manager with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

"The zoo is a natural place for us to hold this event on the environment and agriculture's place in it," Peppers said. "Zoo Atlanta offers a bit of nature and conservation in the middle of the city."

"A to Z: Agriculture at the Zoo" will feature interactive exhibits, fun activities and family entertainment. CAES scientists, farm commodity groups and agribusinesses will showcase the latest in agricultural research and improvements.

"We hope the exhibit with Zoo Atlanta will help urban Georgians see that agriculture touches the lives of all of us every day," Peppers said.

Visitors can plant seeds and learn about composting at the Urban Garden Program exhibit. And they can find out how to build a backyard wildlife habitat.

"We'll have exhibits under the Ford Pavilion and throughout the zoo," Peppers said. "So whether they want to learn how to protect their groundwater or talk with students about what they're studying, there should be something for everyone."

Exhibit areas just for kids will feature hands-on science exhibits and environmental protection displays. A scavenger hunt will let kids test their agriculture knowledge and win prizes. 4-H club members from around the state will have displays on their project work in agriculture and the environment.

For adults, the event will showcase a plant doctor exhibit by Georgia Master Gardeners and the latest developments in the diverse fields of agriculture.

The "Got Milk?" truck, provided by The Southeast United Dairy Association, will give visitors free milk samples and their own milk-mustache photo.

The highlight of this year's Dairy Association exhibit is the Mobile Dairy Classroom, a new outreach program created by Georgia dairy farmers.

The MDC is a 30-foot, white trailer painted with black cow spots. It travels across Georgia to educate kids about the process that safely takes milk from the cow to the dinner table.

Equipped to house a live cow, the MDC allows kids and families to see the milking process in action. Teachers can get information about possible school visits.

"A to Z: Agriculture at the Zoo" is free with admission to the zoo. For discounted Zoo Atlanta tickets for March 29, contact your county UGA Extension Service office. You can get tickets, too, through Zoo Atlanta's Web site (www.zooatlanta.org) or at the gate.

(April Reese is a student writer with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Experts/Sources:
Faith Peppers
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