First Timers

For the last several years, I've taken my Government class out to Tillers International for a day of service / field trip.  One course requirement is that students complete 4 "volunteering" events throughout the year, with the service day acting as the final event.

 Also, for the last few years we've included a unit on global development and foreign aid, so the trip provides a great learning opportunity to see what non-profits do in this field (no pun intended).

But anyway, we usually try to get the oxen out for a little bit to demonstrate what they can do.  I find that, even in a rural school like ours with an on-site AG program, kids love to see the oxen and are fascinated by being that close to such a large, calm animal.  

This year, we were lucky enough to be clearing brush, which meant we needed to haul some to the burn pile.  "You can use the red farm-truck," we were told, so we fetched a red cart and a team of

oxen.  That seemed close enough.

With a few long straight lanes to navigate, quite a few students experienced driving success with Castor and Pollux.  They were well-mannered, if a bit plodding.  

They may not all run home and beg the folks until they get their own team, but someday they'll tell their kids how they once drove a 2-ton team of oxen (with embellishments, four-part harmony, and

orchestration, of course).