Bend kindergartners learn about ‘farm-to-table’ food

Between milk cartons and chicken nuggets, it can be tough for kids to know exactly where the food they’re eating comes from.

But there was a farm frenzy Thursday in east Bend. Lava Ridge Elementary School kindergartners milked goats, rode horses, walked llamas and gardened.

The goal of the field trip was to teach them where their dinner comes from.

For Addy, it was all about the chickens.

“Well, I got to hold a real live chicken egg and a real live chicken, and I got to learn about them and even go inside a chicken coop,” Addy said.

And that’s the answer Stacey Purtzer is looking for. Purtzer is a teacher at Lava Ridge and runs the farm.

“That is the best part — kind of like when they start reading — seeing when their eyes brighten up and they start understanding, ‘This is where our food comes from.’ It’s very cool, very rewarding,” Purtzer said.

Several children announced they want to be farmers when they grow up.

The kindergartners arrived by bus Thursday morning, ready to experience farm life.

“We saw the horses and the bunnies and the chickens and the llamas,” said Tessa.

But it wasn’t all about the cute animals.

The 5 and 6-year-olds also learned how to use tools, including drills and hammers.

“We want kids to know healthy food comes from the farm and we need to all start eating whole foods and really limiting processed foods. So the kids need to start understanding, this is where it starts,” Purtzer said.

Purtzer has had her farm for three years now. She said her mission is to steer kids away from processed foods and toward whole foods.