Agriculture comes to USS

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

One of the many tractors that went to school last Friday afternoon. Photo by John Cavers

Uxbridge Secondary School's parking lot resembled a farm equipment dealership last Friday as combines, tractors and various other pieces of farm machinery rumbled in to celebrate Ag Day at the school.

Several students drove tractors in from Sandford, accompanied by a police escort.

Natalie Little, a USS teacher, said the event stemmed from an annual student-driven anniversary tractor parade in honour of Aiden Hulsof, a USS student who was killed in an accident on Davis Drive in October 2022. Little said the school decided to make the day an agriculture day to teach students the importance of farming. She said the goal is to make the day an annual event, saying it is an educational opportunity, adding that the students are usually hard-working.

Little said youths who live on farms often have skills that others don't.

On hand for the event were a local 4-H club, farmers and other groups.

"We made connections in the community and had support from several sources," Little said.

Some of that support came in the donation of milk for the students and food from Zehrs for the barbeque. Lockie Grain Elevators supplied Ag Day t-shirts.