During National Farm Safety and Health Week, some Paton-Churdan students got the opportunity to experience what it is like to operate farm machinery.

The P-C School District partnered with Greene County Farm Bureau and the Greene County Sheriff’s office to host a Farm Transportation Awareness event Tuesday. P-C Principal Annie Smith says 8th-12th grade students heard from Sheriff Jack Williams about some safety tips when approaching, passing or operating farm machinery while on the roadway. Then the students went outside and were able to sit inside the cab of a semi-tractor and trailer carrying grain, a tractor with grain carts attached and a combine. 

Smith points out several students, as well as herself, had their eyes opened to how difficult it is for farmers to see and maneuver around other vehicles and knowing how close is too close to pass them. Smith adds, they wanted to target the students that were already driving or are going to drive in the near future.

“I shared with the kids that a lot of the things that we can teach our kids aren’t necessarily in a book or follow the curriculum per say, but it’s very important for them to understand the safety and especially for those that affect us here. We’re such a rural community and farming is so important to us, and just that we’re right upon harvest season and it is a perfect time for them to gain an extra awareness of what’s going on.” 

Smith thanks Greene County Farm Bureau and the Sheriff’s office for their participation and for spearheading the event.