Tesmer Farm Safety Day continues to be a powerful example of farm safety education in Minnesota. This year, 491 fourth grade students and 58 teachers and chaperones from 18 public, private and homeschool classrooms across Fillmore and Houston counties participated in the two-day event.
The annual program is a collaboration between the Fillmore and Houston County Extension Offices and brings basic farm and community safety lessons to local fourth graders. Students rotate through hands-on stations led by local volunteers and experts, helping them build safety awareness through real-world learning.
Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. Foundation was proud to once again support this important event by providing AgMags for students. AgMags were handed out to all students, giving them a take-home resource that connects agriculture, safety and classroom learning.
Hands-On Farm Safety Education in Minnesota
Tesmer Farm Safety Day gives students the opportunity to learn about safety in ways they can see, hear and experience. This year’s stations included 911 safety, ATV safety, basic first aid, bicycle safety, electrical safety, fire safety, grain safety, horse and livestock safety, large equipment safety, lawn mower safety, plant identification, PTO safety, tractor rollover safety, water safety and more.
Each session was led by a volunteer with knowledge and experience in that area. From emergency responders to agricultural professionals, local experts helped students better understand how to stay safe on farms, at home and in their communities.
This kind of hands-on learning is what makes farm safety education in Minnesota so meaningful. Students are not just hearing about safety. They are seeing examples, asking questions and taking home lessons they can share with their families.
A Legacy of Safety and Community Support
Tesmer Farm Safety Day was founded in the early 1990s by the late Jerry Tesmer, a former Local Extension Educator, along with many community members. What began as a small summer camp has grown into an annual event that now serves between 400 and 600 local fourth graders each year. In 2016, the event was named in Tesmer’s honor.
The program is made possible through local donations, volunteer time, equipment, safety materials, food and community support. Each student received a t-shirt, bag and other safety-related items to help reinforce what they learned throughout the day.
Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom was honored to be included among the supporters helping make this event possible.
MAITC Board Leadership in Action
MAITC is grateful for board members who believe in the mission and help bring it to life in their own communities. Katie Drewitz, Local Extension Educator for Fillmore and Houston counties and a MAITC board member, continues to play an important role in Tesmer Farm Safety Day.
Her work is a strong example of leadership in action. Events like this show what can happen when educators, community members and agricultural leaders work together to create meaningful learning experiences for students.
AgMags Support Farm Safety Education in Minnesota
AgMags help students connect agriculture to everyday life through grade-level, classroom-ready content. At Tesmer Farm Safety Day, AgMags served as a valuable resource for extending the learning beyond the event.
Students were able to take their AgMags home, giving families and teachers another way to continue conversations about agriculture, safety and the role farming plays in their communities.
This is farm safety education in Minnesota at its best: local experts teaching real-world skills, students engaging in hands-on learning and community partners helping those lessons continue after the event ends.
MAITC is proud to support programs like Tesmer Farm Safety Day that grow agricultural literacy while helping keep students safe. AgMags remain free for Minnesota educators thanks to the generosity of MAITC supporters and sponsors. Your support helps bring agriculture to life for thousands of students each year and strengthens meaningful learning experiences like this one.