An estimated 4,000 students once again converged on to the Manteca Unified school farm.

They were there Thursday for the annual Ag Venture San Joaquin County, a free educational field trip for third graders to learn about agriculture in the area as well as the benefits of making health eating choices.

The annual event consisted of students from Manteca, Ripon, Escalon and Tracy unified school districts. Included were over 60 displays and booths – mostly hands on – featuring plants, animals, and other agricultural-related items.

There were some 400 volunteers who helped make possible Ag Venture – for third-grade students, this event also fulfills the curriculum of California’s Ag history.

It was staged for third graders in Manteca Unified, Ripon Unified, Escalon Unified, and Tracy Unified school districts.

This is the first of four Ag Ventures in the county.

The others scheduled for this school year is Stockton Ag Venture – servicing Stockton Unified and Lincoln Unified – on Jan. 18; Lodi Ag Venture (Lodi Unified, Linden Unified, New Hope, and Oak View school districts) on March 2; and Tracy Ag Venture (Banta, Jefferson, Lammersville and New J unified) on March 29.

Serving as Ag Venture were SJC Board of Supervisors, SJC Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, SJCOE, SJC Farm Bureau, SJC California Women for Agriculture, MUSD, and University of California Cooperative Extension, just to name a few.