Farm and Bureau Home and Safety

The Waseca County Farm Bureau’s Farm and Home Safety Days took place during an overcast Tuesday, Sept. 9 at the Waseca fairgrounds. The day featured volunteers demonstrating safe procedures for things around the farm and home including chemical, electrical, animal, chainsaw and lawnmower safety, ATVs, snowmobiles and tractors. What started out as a roam-the-fairgrounds sort of morning turned into an inside day because the rain started a little after noon, forcing the still cheerful and full-of-energy fifth-graders inside the giant fair buildings. Fifth-graders from around the region came through during different time slots: in attendance across the day were young students from Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Waseca Intermediate, TEAM Academy, Trinity Lutheran Janesville and Janesville Public Schools.

 

Reese Boucher, employee of Crystal Valley Coop and expert volunteer was in the 4-H Barn. As groups arrived, he handed each of the students a single soybean, allowing them to experience the size, color, consistency and texture. Many accidentally let the small sample slip through their fingers and asked for a replacement. Others pulverized their bean. But that was okay because Boucher had plenty. With everyone listening, he presented three plastic bottles filled with similar color liquids, red, yellow and orange. One was anti-freeze, one was gasoline, and another was Mt. Dew. The children did a pretty good job identifying which was which. He gave students a clear warning: “You will encounter different and dangerous chemicals wherever you go every day.” He also demonstrated using safety goggles and gloves whenever handling dangerous chemicals. Said Boucher, “If I can save just one kid from getting hurt, that makes all this worth it.”

 

From Kibble Equipment was Jared Prestegard; he led children on a tour to see real-life heavy equipment like a tractor up close. He also started the engine and ran an attached auger, using it as a jumping-off point to discuss grain bin safety.

 

Waseca County Sheriff Jay Dulas, members of the Janesville fire department, and Waseca Ambulance emergency medical technicians showed students the inside of emergency vehicles and discussed life saving measures taken after serious accidents. 

 

Representatives from Northland Farm Systems in Owatonna demonstrated proper safe operation for lawn mowers and weed eaters; children were instructed to step back so they could run their machines with safety goggles, gloves, and sturdy pants and footwear.

 

Debbie Roemhildt, volunteer and the day’s coordinator, was a little disappointed with the rain but said, “We cannot control the weather, but it looks like the little ones are doing just fine.” Roemhildt is a lifelong county resident who started out as a farm girl and then became a farm wife. “If we can prevent an accident, great. If not and an accident happens, maybe we can save a life. This is a perfect time of year to do this because the kids see the big equipment in the fields and it's on their minds.”

 

Waseca County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Langr was sharing information about fire extinguishers, flares, road cones, life jackets, inflatable life jackets and emergency flotation devices. After he had answered questions regarding his belt, pistol, pepper spray, and taser, one child asked, “Is your kid in scouts?” Langr replied with a smile, “I have two sons in scouts, and I have attended scout meetings in my uniform, so that’s probably where you’ve seen me.” Not far from Langr’s group was Peter Hines, lineman for the Steele Waseca Electric Cooperative; next to him, young Maverick Hoy was wearing two large leather sleeves. Hines was teaching youngsters about the dangers of electricity, how to insulate and what not to do. “Live wires can look harmless,” he warned, “but they are anything but.”  

 

Outside, Lilly, a smaller-than-average short-horned steer was lying in the grass; a light drizzle caused many of the few children left outside to pull up their hoods. A representative from Summers Ridge Veterinary was sharing information about safety measures when interacting with animals; her information included some about the rabies virus and the effects it can have on animals. She told the children, “Possums cannot catch rabies.” And all of the kids were amazed, one child commented, “It’s like that’s the possums’ superpower.” Many of the other kids nodded their heads in agreement. She then asked for a volunteer so she could demonstrate with her dog Penny how to act when they’re around a dog they suspect has rabies. She said, “Just move real slow and back away, don’t show aggression, no sudden movements, no loud noises.” Penny the dog played her part very well, wagging her tail the whole time.