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GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - A Winter Weather Advisory didn't stop Dan Glessing and the five Wright County dairy representatives from bringing their ag literacy program to the Good Shepherd School in Golden Valley on Friday, March 15.
"I was concerned when I couldn't walk across the yard this morning," Glessing said. "But, it cleared up."
Glessing's cousin, Collin Pannhoff, is a kindergartner at the school. Collin was chosen as the superstar of the week at Good Shepherd. As the superstar of the week, Collin was able to choose what he wanted to do as a special presentation.
"I like cows," Collin said with a smile when asked why he chose to have his cousin, Glessing, bring Marigold the cow and a calf in for the day.
"We wanted to do something different and unique," Collin's mom, Deb, said.
Glessing admitted this was a first for him.
"It is important to bring a little bit of farm life to town," Glessing said. "Collin's parents and I were talking at a wedding a while back, and I said that if they ever wanted to bring farm animals in to the school, we were interested."
After the conversation at the wedding, Collin's parents Facebook messaged Glessing and asked if they could do it. It was easy for Glessing to say yes.
When Glessing and the five dairy representatives appeared and brought Marigold and the bull calf out, the students that were outside for recess and inside the building were stopping in awe at the sight of a dairy cow and calf in their parking lot.
The principal of Good Shepherd, Tom Zellmer, came out and graciously thanked Glessing for bringing the animals in for their two kindergarten classes.
"Most of the kids have not had the opportunity to be close to a cow," Zellmer said. "We are lucky enough to have them do this for us."
Mackenzie Uter and Bethany Kozitka, Wright County dairy ambassadors and Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted FFA members, were assisting Glessing out in the parking lot, while Wright County dairy princess, Katie Hirsch and dairy ambassadors Kyla Mauk and Anna Benson were doing a presentation by making butter and reading a book about where milk comes from.
"The kids don't know what we do everyday," Uter said. "Their faces are amazing when they experience this."
"I went to these types of events with my sister when she was a dairy princess," Kozitka said. "I enjoy telling people more about dairy and where their milk comes from."
Glessing, who milks about 75 cows in a tiestall barn near Waverly, focused on the day-to-day life of a dairy farmer. He brought in feed samples, milk replacer, a bottle and a milking unit, so the students could see first hand the supplies dairy farmers use every day.
Once the students came out, excitement lit up their faces and questions immediately escaped their mouths. Glessing, Uter and Kozitka took it all in ease.
Glessing took the feed samples he brought and explained to the students what they feed the cows and made a mini mixture to show them what it looks like. He even had the students touch it and smell it. One student said it smelled like apple cider.
Glessing also shared with the kids that healthy and comfortable cows are important to his farm.
"We want them to lay down as much as possible because that would mean they are comfortable," Glessing said to the students. "We put a jacket on the calf because it is cold outside, and we want the calf to be comfortable."
After explaining, the kids were able to pet both Marigold and the bull calf.
"My favorite part of the day was petting the cow," Collin said.
As they were packing up, Glessing expressed that he is interested in doing this again and felt today was a success.
"Hopefully the kids will remember today," Glessing said. "I hope they enjoy it and learn a little bit."

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