Tom Graham 5th Grade Conservation Farm Tour
For 50 years, nearly 500 Holmes County 5th graders have participated in the Tom Graham 5th Grade Conservation Farm Tour. It has become a rite of passage for Holmes County 5th graders. Students visit a working farm and learn about conservation techniques and the importance of protecting natural resources. After the tour, students write an essay about their experience and submit the best from each school for our annual essay contest. East Holmes & West Holmes FFA chapters also sponsor a farm-safety poster contest in conjunction with the tour. Winners are honored at our annual meeting.
The 2017 Tom Graham 5th Grade Conservation Farm Tour will return to Spring Walk Farm, home to the famed Wachtel's Christmas Lights display on September 20, 2017!
Educational Learning Standards
The stops on the Tom Graham 5th Grade Conservation Farm Tour are designed not only to provide students with a working knowledge of modern conservation & its importance, but they are also designed to align with Next Generation Science Standards being used in today's classrooms. In addition, this cross-curricular event aligns with Social Studies, Language Arts, Visual Arts, and Technology standards as well.
Poster Contest Sponsored by both Holmes County FFA chapters
Each of the sponsoring FFA chapters for this year’s poster contest have slightly different rules. Students attending the event at Spring Walk Farm near Big Prairie will enter the West Holmes FFA contest and students attending the event at One-O-One Ranch near Walnut Creek will enter the Hiland FFA contest. Please download the rules for the appropriate contest below, and contact our office with any questions.
Essay Contest Sponsored by Holmes SWCD Board
This year’s 5th Grade Farm Tour Essay Contest seeks to replace the previous two category format with a single category: Creative nonfiction. In simplest terms, creative nonfiction conveys facts in a way that reads like fiction. What we’re looking for are essays built around any number of facts or details that the student has gleaned from his or her experience during their day on the farm—information woven into a creative delivery.
Additional background information resources:
Soils Information:
2015: International Year of Soils
Downloadable fact sheets & information about the importance of soils
Natural Resources Conservation Services
Link for teachers to soil resources
National Association of Conservation Districts
Links to educational resources on soil, water, and forestry
Farm Safety Information:
Farm Safety Just for Kids
Numerous classroom links & teacher resources
Ohio State University fact sheets & information on farm safety
Wildlife Information:
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Click on the "Recreation" tab and choose "Wildlife"
Forestry Information
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Click on the "Recreation" tab, choose "State Forests" and choose "Forestry Home"
National Association of Conservation Districts
Links to educational resources on soil, water, and forestry
Ohioline
Ohio State University fact sheets & information on forestry
Agriculture Resources
Ohio Farm Bureau
Teacher resources about agriculture