Benjamin Logan Environmental Science Club Visits Jolly Acres Farm

The Brewer family graciously welcomed the Benjamin Logan Environmental Science Club (ESC) to their Jolly Acres farm for a day of hands-on learning and fall fun.

Students enjoyed a variety of activities including pumpkin painting, cider making, and a guided farm tour. During the cider-making process, members learned how apples are pressed into cider and took an active role in washing, grinding, and pressing the apples themselves. Each student was able to enjoy a refreshing bottle of their freshly made cider.

A highlight of the day was a hayride around the property, where students observed gravity-fed lines used for collecting maple sap, a Christmas tree planting, and several familiar cover crops. Along the route, the group also identified bush honeysuckle—an invasive species they had studied the previous week. Having recently worked to remove it, students confidently recognized the plant and explained why it poses a problem to native ecosystems.

The ESC is preparing for the arrival of brown trout eggs on campus. To get ready for raising the trout, members participated in an engaging simulation activity known as Macroinvertebrate Mayhem. This energetic exercise—where, for instance, “caddisfly larvae” must hop to the finish line in pillowcases—illustrated how environmental stressors such as riparian zone degradation and chemical spills can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems.

Benjamin Logan Schools extended their sincere thanks to the Brewer family for opening their farm and providing students with a meaningful, real-world learning experience.