At Montana State University, kids living in the school's family and graduate student housing recently got a chance to put their knowledge of farm life to work. Led by students from the university's College of Agriculture, the kids used agricultural products exclusively from Montana to construct their own unique renderings of the classic McDonald's "Happy Meal."

The college students erected six separate stations for the kids to peruse, each one teaching about a different component of the standard "Happy Meal." From the wheat used in buns to the importance of Montana's beef in the production of burger patties, Montana's agricultural goods contribute mightily to the tasty foods.

The event served as a means for the agricultural students, already steeped in farm life, to teach their younger counterparts about the importance of farming. JoLynn Miller, a graduate teaching assistant, explained that the program "helped the youth understand where their food comes from and how connected we all are to agriculture." "Even in Montana," Miller asserted, "kids say they think milk comes from the grocery store."

At the day's conclusion, the students walked away with their goody bags and a newly ignited interest in farm life. Perhaps the next lesson will involve rides on John Deere tractors.