Sammy Soil at Ben Franklin Science Academy

The young students enjoyed a visit from Sammy Soil.

Steve Alspach, NRCS soil scientist, explains the importance of soil in agriculture for the food and other things people depend on in their lives.

Staff from the Muskogee County Conservation District and Muskogee NRCS office presented programs on the importance of soil at the Ben Franklin Science Academy in Muskogee on Oct. 14, 2010. Muskogee County CD manager Andy Qualls and secretary Trish Kloeckler participated as did NRCS soil scientist Steve Alspach and district conservationist Chris Lester. Jared Newton, NRCS technician, played Sammy Soil, the conservation mascot.

Approximately 1,000 pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students attended. They visited booths with information and activities about the role of agriculture in people's lives from peanut farms to soybean farms. The got to see and touch a large tractor and other farm equipment and farm animals including a horse and a llama. A hay ride and a pumpkin patch were present for the students to enjoy.

"But in all, I think Sammy stole the day," Kloeckler said.