Farm Camp Minnesota recently helped Wayzata Redeemer 7th and 8th Grade Literature Class students bring their classroom learning to life through a hands-on literature class Farm Camp experience.
On February 24, 2026, nine students visited Scherber’s Morningstar Dairy and Gregor Farm & Greenhouse to compare farming from history with agriculture today. The experience gave students a chance to connect what they were learning in literature class with real examples of dairy production, greenhouse growing, technology, entrepreneurship, and daily farm work.
At Scherber’s Morningstar Dairy, students saw how technology supports cow care, including an automatic milking system and a feed robot. At Gregor Farm & Greenhouse, students learned how plants grow from seeds to finished products and discovered how early greenhouse work begins each year.
The literature class Farm Camp experience helped students see how agriculture has changed over time. They were surprised by the technology used on modern farms, but they also noticed that farming still takes hard work, patience, and care. One student shared that it was “harder work than I thought even with the robots.”
The visit also helped students better understand how agriculture connects to their own lives. Before Farm Camp, 44.4% of students said they could list three ways they use agriculture in their lives. Afterward, that number increased to 87.5%. Career awareness grew, too. Before the experience, 0% of students said they could name five agricultural careers beyond farmers. Afterward, 62.5% could.
Student reflections showed how much they took away from the day. Students said they learned:
“Farming is hard work and no one should take it for granted.”
“How impactful agriculture in general is in our lives.”
“The process of plants as seeds to plants being sold.”
Every student who completed the survey said they would like to participate in another Farm Camp experience.
“I really appreciate this program and my kids had a great day and learned a lot!” said Darla, educator.
Farm Camp Minnesota, a program of Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom, connects students with real-world agriculture experiences that support classroom learning. This literature class Farm Camp experience helped students see agriculture not only as something they read about, but as something happening every day in their communities.
To learn more about Farm Camp Minnesota or get connected with agriculture education opportunities, visit https://farmcampminnesota.org/connect-me/.
