Hopkins County Central’s agriculture program is putting together the building blocks for a new program that will offer students hands-on experience with cattle farming.

The project started when trying to come up with ideas of how ag students could produce additional food for school cafeterias beyond the corn, watermelon, and cantaloupes that are already reaching kids’ trays. Ag teacher Ben Prevette received confirmation that locally produced beef could be served in cafeterias provided a USDA-approved facility was used for the slaughter. The Board of Education approved a plan for a small herd of cattle to be raised on nearby property owned by Darwin Rideout.

With the high cost of cattle, the school needed help. Rideout, who used to raise cattle himself, has some of the needed equipment. Then, four big cattle producers in Hopkins County were approached, and each agreed to donate a 400-to-500 pound feeder cow. The program will also receive one longhorn steer. Through Career & Technical Education Supplement Funds, the department purchased a Priefert cattle working system with a corral, alleyway, and squeeze chute. This is now being set up. CTE funds also covered a 3-ton Conrad feed bin, which was assembled in Matthew McIntosh’s Ag Structures Class. On Monday, a concrete pad will be installed for the feed bin. Cavanaugh Pools is paying for the pad, and students will learn to pour concrete.

Prevette hopes to pick up the cows by Oct. 1.

Students in Gabrielle Prevette’s Animal Science classes will take care of the cattle. This will be a multi-faceted experience involving feeding, vaccinating, tagging, etc. This will help some of these ag students obtain a Supervised Ag Experience for FFA.

The program offers many opportunities for students, Ben Prevette said.

“They’re going to get hands-on experience with beef cows,” he said. “Mrs. Prevette will be able to do live Beef Quality Care and Assurance Training with these animals. Students will learn responsibility in caring for these animals. The program also provides agriculture literacy, so that people realize a hamburger doesn’t end up on your plate out of thin air.” Students will also use a lot of math skills, such as determining target dates. The beef isn’t expected to be served until early next school year.

“We hope this will eventually become a sustainable project, evolving into a small cow-calf operation where calves will be birthed on the farm,” Ben Prevette said. “Special thanks go to Colonial Farms, Ladd Cattle Company, Larkins Farm, Sugar Creek Farm, Wright Farms, B&B Farm Supply, Darwin Rideout, Hopkins County School Board, Principal Michael Zimmer, and Cavanaugh Pools for partnering with us to get this project up and running. Agricultural Education takes community involvement, and we are thankful for the strong supporters we have!”