BUCKEYE, Ariz. — We’ve all heard about classroom pet fish, or even Guinea pigs, but what about a pet cow?
Discover Dairy’s "Adopt a Cow" program is allowing classrooms across Arizona to do just that, adopt a cow for the school year.
The chosen farmer for this year is located in the Valley: Jennifer Millican of Stotz Dairy in Buckeye.
The cows, however, don't actually come to the class. Cows weigh more than 1,000 pounds, so it would be hard to even fit one through a classroom door.
This "Adopt a Cow" program is virtual but don't let that fool you, it's just as cool.
"This is actually our 40th year anniversary this year, my dad started the dairy in 1981 I was born a couple of years later," Millican said.
She grew up on the farm.
"I used to give dairy tours and everyone was like 'my grandma was on a dairy, my uncle was on a dairy!' Now there are people that have never seen a cow in real life before," she said.
She wants to fix that gap between cows and people by teaching students about agriculture through the dairy farm's program.
"This is is the Discover Dairy’s adopt a cow program, I am the first Arizona dairy farmer that got involved in the program," Millican said.
Since it's all virtual, how exactly does it work?
"My job is to find the four cutest calves on the dairy and I am going to take pictures and videos of them as they grow up over the school year.
She’ll also be giving virtual tours of the farm, all so students know just how much work goes into getting food on the table.
"I think it's important that people know where their food comes from," she said.
Individual classrooms across Arizona can sign up now to adopt a cow, and there’s no limit to how many cows a classroom can adopt.
The best part is that it's completely free and purely educational.
If you're interested you must act quickly. September 25 is the last day to sign up on the Discover Dairy website.
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