A Field Trip Fueled by Curiosity and Innovation
On April 15, 2025, 40 middle school students from Hill-Murray School left the traditional classroom behind to explore the dynamic intersection of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and agriculture through Farm Camp Minnesota. Their destination? Scherber's Morning Star Dairy, a family-owned, fully robotic dairy farm where cows choose when to be milked, rest on waterbeds, and enjoy customized nutrition. Yes, from robots.
This experience wasn’t just a farm visit. It was the capstone of a three-part Farm Camp Minnesota program, supported by the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation. Students began by engaging in hands-on classroom lessons such as High-Tech Farming, Robots in High-Tech Farming, and Cheesemaking: A Science, an Art, and a Craft. These standards-based lessons laid the foundation for understanding modern agricultural systems and careers.
From Class to Cow Barn: STEM in Action
Arriving at Morning Star Dairy, students were immediately immersed in the sights, sounds, and yes, smells of a working farm. But this wasn’t your average barn. Students saw robotic arms feeding cows, automated systems tracking animal health, and high-tech sensors managing milking schedules.
Student reactions said it all:
- “I was surprised by all the technology and how much work the robots do.”
- “I could explain to someone else how cows lay on waterbeds and how much they rest.”
- “My favorite part was seeing the robot drop the cow's food.”
These insights reflect what Farm Camp Minnesota aims to cultivate: real-world understanding of how STEM drives agriculture today. It also highlights the importance of exposing students to family-run operations that blend tradition with cutting-edge innovation.
Growing Knowledge and Career Connections
The results of this Farm Camp experience were clear. Pre-tour surveys showed 62.5% of students felt at least somewhat knowledgeable about agriculture. After the tour, that number jumped to 83.4%. Student engagement was evident not only in the excitement during the tour, but also in their reflections and conversations afterward.
Quinci, the farmer and tour guide, shared:
“I think the tour went great! We had great participation and conversation with the students and teachers. The students were respectful of the facility and animals and listened well to instructions.”
More Than a Field Trip: Farm Camp Builds Futures
Farm Camp Minnesota is more than just a fun day away from school. It's a comprehensive learning experience that connects students to the essential world of agriculture through classroom lessons, immersive field experiences, and meaningful career conversations. By combining robotics, animal science, and hands-on exploration, the Hill-Murray STEM Farm Camp planted seeds of curiosity and opportunity that could blossom into future careers in ag tech, animal care, or food science.
Through partnerships like this one with Morning Star Dairy and support from MAITC Foundation, Farm Camp Minnesota continues to bring STEM education to life, one farm at a time.