It was another successful year for the Huron-Perth Agriculture and Water Festival!  This is a fun and educational event that provides grade four students hands on learning opportunities about agriculture and water; their importance in our local environment and role in our everyday lives.  Participating students spend a half day in each of the water and agriculturally focused activities.  We are hopeful students who participate will become better stewards of our water resources and more aware of the agricultural community that plays such a prominent role in Huron and Perth Counties.

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Donna talks with the students about how they can conserve water in their home. The water from one five minute shower can fit in that large wooden barrel – holy smokes!

Donna and Marg from the HSC have been running a water station for many years.  This year, they decided to switch it up and create a new activity – the Pioneer Water Race!  The take home messages from this activity are:

  1. A fresh, clean water supply is necessary for survival so it is very important that we conserve it for future generations.
  2. In Canada, we are very lucky to have clean water piped directly into our homes. In pioneer times, and even today in some countries, water had to be carried in buckets from the source and, in some cases, was not even clean.
  3. Canadians waste a lot of water because it is so readily available. Imagine having to haul all of the water you use and perhaps you can begin to use less.

The students who participated in the activity had a blast learning about how their ancestors would have gathered and used water in the home.  A big thank you goes to the Reuben R. Sallows Gallery for supplying the historic photographs.  Thank you to Lawnmaster for loaning some beautiful trees to make a “natural environment” at the water’s source, and to Timber Outfitters for supplying a yolk for hauling water.