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Little Seeds, Big Tractors’ returns to COSI in Columbus

By JANE HOUIN
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Downtown Columbus will once again be host to dozens of pieces of large farm equipment as the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) will feature their Little Seeds, Big Tractors event July 15-19.

During this event, kids of all ages will have a chance to taste the excitement of farm life in a fun and hands-on way while they learn more about Ohio’s largest industry - agriculture.

This year will mark the fifth year that more than a dozen pieces of farm equipment will be moved into COSI’s English Plaza. Kids will again have the opportunity to climb into the cabs and let their imaginations run wild as they pretend to drive and explore an array of full-sized, modern farm equipment.

For the second year, the event will again feature the “Path of a Farmer” game, where kids learn about the partners and resources farmers need to be successful.

The game begins by visiting the bank, where the littler farmers-in-training “borrow” money to start their operation. Visiting the Extension office booth and the Soils and Water Conservation District booth will earn them money as they learn more about the services these offices provide to farmers.

From there, the little farmers develop their own unique farming operation, using their “money” to purchase seed and fertilizer, decide how many (if any) livestock they need and what species along with how many trucks or tractors their operation needs.
Once these decisions are made, fate steps in and they spin a wheel to determine the conditions and resulting level of success for their year as farmers. That ultimately determines how much money they make - or lose - after repaying their bank loan.

Other activities include a pedal tractor obstacles course, “milking” a cow and making a seed necklace along with collecting farmer trading cards.

But perhaps most importantly, youth will have the chance to learn about Ohio agriculture.

The fun even starts before the kids arrive at COSI and can continue after they get home. Visitors are encouraged to try their hand at running a successful farming operation online at home through COSI’s “Bet the Farm” game.

Even experienced farmers can have fun creating their dream farming operation and experience an entire year’s worth of work in a matter of minutes at www.cosi.org/visitors/online-activities/farm/
COSI has been a Columbus institution since 1964 when it opened in a dramatically renovated Memorial Hall, from which it operated for 35 years before moving to its present location at 333 West Broad Street in 1999. Parents magazine has rated COSI as the No. 1 science center in the country.

The mission of COSI includes preparing today’s children for success in school through early childhood education, supporting family learning (where some of the most meaningful lessons occur), and working with schools to prepare children for a knowledge-based economy – on that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math.

Farm Days is just one of many special events they host throughout the year to help accomplish that mission.

Regular attractions include a space exhibit, where visitors enter a world of rockets and rovers while searching the universe to explore past discoveries, today’s technology and the future’s possibilities.
There is also an ocean exhibit designed to explore the fun, power and mystery of the seas while diving into DreamScape and an underwater station as well as learning how the properties of water affect our lives ad help us live.

The Big Science Park is an outdoor laboratory that proves science is anything but boring with larger than life activities, while infants, toddlers and preschoolers can discover science in an area designed just for them.

Still other regular exhibit themes include life, progress, gadgets, digital media and more.

COSI is open to the public seven days a week. Admission rates, hours of operation, and information about current exhibits and displays can be found at www.cosi.org

Partners in making this event possible include Franklin County Farm Bureau, JD Equipment, Inc., The Ohio State University extension, United Producers, Bob Evans, 95.5 The Hawk, Wink 107.1 and Ohio Farm Bureau.

7/8/2009