Model Country Program Brings Kids To Peone Prairie For A Taste Of Farm Living

Seth Forsman still wants to be a police officer and Ronnie Brodrick plans to be a videogame programmer, but a day on the farm still proved to be a valuable learning experience for the boys.

The two Finch Elementary School third graders were among a group of 2,000 elementary school students who toured Greg Riddle’s farm this month. Finch students visited Friday morning.

Asked if the change of scenery made him interested in becoming a farmer, Forsman replied: “Nah, I really don’t really like farming. I want to be a cop. But I did like watching the pigs squeal.”

The Model Farm program is sponsored by the Northwest Natural Resources Institute, the Ag Bureau and Spokane School District 81.

Classes of kids are bused to Riddle’s farm on Peone Prairie. The kids got to hop aboard some of the Riddle’s farm equipment, including his combine and tractor.

They toured barns the horses and cows call home. And they also got a chance to see animals that can’t be found on major streets in Spokane.

“They’ve got snakes over by the pond,” Marcus Tittle exclaimed to classmate Raymond Nieves, who was busy nibbling on wheat pulled straight from the ground.

“If you live in the city, you don’t know what life is like on the farm,” Riddle said.

“I want the children to see the pond, equipment, the animals, so the next time they’re driving by and see a tractor, they’ll know what the farmer is doing,” he said.

The NNRI said the institute hopes students consider careers in farming after a trip to the farm.

“This is an incredible opportunity for students to learn in an interactive and exciting manner where their food comes from,” Phillips said. “It’s about figuring out the chicks are going to be their chicken McNuggets.”

Riddle’s grandfather started a similar program in 1965. It ran until a few years ago, when it stopped. The NNRI got it going last year.

“We got 1,200 kids out here last year and will get about 2,000 out here this year,” Phillips said. “It’s insanely popular. We’ve had to turn some schools away.”

Finch teacher Betty Dumas said the field trip allows the kids something that’s harder to get living in town.

“Freedom. They can run around and make noise and not get on anybody’s nerves but these cow’s,” Dumas said.

Dumas said the field trip also served as a valuable history lesson.

“Before the computer age and before the industrial, men farmed the land,” Dumas said. “It’s important for them to see our roots.”

One of Dumas’ students, Frank Lasuola, said he enjoyed his experience in the country.

“I think the city mouse should have come to the country because it’s fresh, nice and has lots of animals,” he said.