SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Day camps are going to be offered again this year at the Ozark Empire Fair to help children connect with the food they eat. “Dig Into Ag-Venture” camps (for children ages 3 to 12) are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Pre-registration is requested, and a $6 registration fee includes an entry ticket to the fair, a special camp t-shirt, and all needed supplies for the camps. Additional days cost $2 per child.
With pre-registration, one child ticket and one adult ticket will be mailed to the address listed on the registration form. Tickets for additional days will be distributed at camp. A special parking permit will be issued for camp as well.
“The camps are designed to help children learn about food and how it is produced,” said Karla Deaver, 4-H youth development specialist with University of Missouri Extension. “These camps give children an opportunity to experience the fair and have fun while learning about the food they eat in a new way.”
The program will be be held at the Darr and Wheeler Metals Ag Facility. Topics include beef and dairy cattle (July 28), sheep and goats (July 29), swine (Aug. 1), grains (Aug. 2), bees and honey (Aug. 3), poultry (Aug. 4), and fruits and vegetables (Aug. 5). There will be no camp on Thursday, July 27, Sunday, July 30 or Monday, July 31.
“The children will get an in-depth look at where their food comes from and discuss how foods get from farm to plate,” said Deaver.
If a child is not pre-registered, then children and adults will have to pay for fair admission and parking upon arrival along with a $6 at registration. Participation is not guaranteed without pre-registration. Registration must be received by Monday, July 24.
Ag-Venture Day Camps is a joint venture of Ozark Empire Fair, Missouri State University Darr School of Agriculture, and University of Missouri Extension.
For more information, contact Karla Deaver at (417) 466-3102 or Brittany Gillig, ag director for the Ozark Empire Fair, at (417) 833-2660. A registration brochure can be found online at extension.missouri.edu/greene.
— Karla Deaver, University of Missouri Extension
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