We had a terrific week in Forest.  Cowboy/cowgirl dress up day was a big hit! We had a good old fashioned square dance and made a yummy snack of baked beans and cornbread. 

This week’s focus- Life on a ranch

We learned:

• On a ranch, prize winning cattle or thoroughbred horses are raised.
• A person who owns a ranch is called a “rancher”.
• Ranchers do not typically grow gardens to sell produce.
• Ranchers make money from the sale of their cattle, horses, chickens, goats, pigs and sheep, not produce.
• Livestock are domesticated animals raised to produce labor and commodities such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool and consumption.

A rancher is responsible for:

• Feeding the animals
• Providing water through irrigation ditches or water trough.
• Keeping animals in a humane living space by providing room for the animals to move and have access to clean water.
• Assisting in the birth of animals, shearing, branding and tagging.

A few ranchers butcher their own meat for sale, but most sell whole livestock. Some dairy ranchers may choose to make their own dairy products, such as cheese, butter and milk.

We introduced two new dramatic play stations, milking a cow and lassoing a calf/chair. The children seemed to really enjoy these new activities and discovered how difficult it is to rope a calf.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ms. Melissa, Ms. April, and Mr.Jay