NZ Calf Club: Cute and Cuddly with a Side of Responsibility
As spring approaches in New Zealand, many rural schools and communities have preparations well underway for local and regional Calf Club/Ag Day events. Little lambs, calves, goats and chickens will be hand-reared with love in the hopes of winning colourful ribbons to grace children's bedroom walls.
Opportunities for everyone
Calf Club allows children to raise a young farm animal. Rural schools hold events where the animals are entered into a competition, being judged and rewarded for:
Rearing - the overall condition of the animal, including cleanliness and health
Calling - children are encouraged to build strong and trusting bonds with their animals in the hope that they will come when called by their name
Leading - children generally walk around a marked-out area with their animal on a lead, showcasing to the judges the time and effort they have put into rearing their animal.
Most schools also open a 'preschool' category so that younger siblings can get in on the action too.
Many of these children live on or near local farms, so after the event, they can keep the animal or send it to live nearby where they can visit it in the future.
Inevitably, not all children will be able to raise an animal for these events. Arts and crafts or STEM projects are also available for these students, which are then displayed on the event day.
Examples can include garden ornaments, wind spinners and other creations, usually with recycled materials.
Encouraging Responsibility
By getting involved with raising baby animals, children can gain a real sense of responsibility. Feeding, cleaning and nurturing these creatures don't only teach children about nature and biology.
Empathy and the concept of putting another's needs before your own are embraced in undertaking the rearing of an ag-day pet.
The children are also rewarded for their efforts. If a parent has done all the hard work, it will likely show on the event day.
An event for the whole community
When calf club day comes around, many schools choose to pair the event with a public gala - offering raffles, white elephant stalls, activities and food. This can be a great fundraiser for the school and an excellent way to unite communities, so if you see one advertised near you, it's worth checking out!
If a gala is not included in your local school's Ag day, you might find there is still lots to see, such as the children's artwork, sausage sizzles and sometimes even live performances.
After individual school events, top-placing animals and their proud owners will go on to district-wide competitions and compete for trophies and ribbons against other their counterparts from other local schools - another opportunity for communities to come together.
Health and Wellness
As children raise their animals, they will gain an awareness of what's involved in keeping them healthy. They may even encounter illnesses or need to supplement their animal's food to maintain their health.
Pair this with the regular hand-washing required when handling animals, and you have the perfect opportunity to teach kids about the importance of looking after their health.
As the kids learn about their animal's health, they learn the importance of a nutritious diet and vitamins for optimal health for animals and people.
Calf Club and Ag Days are a rural NZ tradition and worth getting involved in for a multitude of reasons - teachable moments galore.
If you're a city dweller, make a day of heading out to the rural suburbs with your family for a day to check out one of these awesome events and support your local schools!