Camp churns out important agricultural lessons in Lakewood Ranch

By Madison Bierl
| 6:15 p.m. June 3, 2026

Gabrielle Finnegan, chapter president of the Lakewood Ranch High School Future Farmers of America, checks out Lucy the cow with 7-year-old camper Luca Bellantonio.

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When Lakewood Ranch's Charlotte Wort, 7, touched a cow's udder for the first time, she was shocked to find out it wasn't squishy.

Instead, it felt rough, like leather, to her.

Despite the "weird" feeling, she had a great time learning about the benefits of cows and their udders.

"Some animals help our world," Wort said.

Wort was among the campers to attend the Junior Rancher's Agriculture Summer Camp hosted by the Lakewood Ranch High School Future Farmers of America and agriculture staff.

Each day of the camp had a different focus including plant science (June 1), animal science (June 2), environmental science (June 3) and leadership (June 4).

On the morning of June 2, the campers were visited by Dakin Dairy Ag Experience, a mobile trailer that brings a cow to see up close how the milking process works. Shannon Mullen and Jennifer Griffith are ag advocates who travel around Florida with the trailer.

"It is vital for the public, especially children, to understand where their milk comes from and to appreciate the dedication farmers show toward sustainable practices for a better future," Mullen said.

Lakewood Ranch's Camden Satterly, 10, said when she was given the opportunity to hand milk the cow, 5-year-old Lucy, she was extra careful because she didn't want to hurt her.

She said she grows tomatoes and peppers at home, so she loved learning about plants and bugs on the first day of the camp.

The camp was led by McKenzie Gorskey and Sophia Jaramillo-Vasconez, who are both agriculture teachers at Lakewood Ranch High School.

Jaramillo-Vasconez said the goal of the camp is to provide hands-on experiences and build confidence as leaders, while also developing "a deeper appreciation for the people, animals, plants and environments that sustain our communities."

"Agriculture touches every part of our daily lives, from the food we eat to the natural resources we all depend on," Jaramillo-Vasconez said. "My hope is that campers and counselors leave with new knowledge, great memories and a curiosity to continue learning about agriculture."

McKenzie Gorskey, one of the agriculture teachers at Lakewood Ranch High alongside Sophia Jaramillo-Vasconez, quizzes the campers on what dairy products are made out of milk as they prepare to make their own butter.

Lakewood Ranch's Addison Hollands, 7, poses with her "butter" before shaking to solidify it at the Junior Rancher's Agriculture Summer Camp.

Lakewood Ranch's Teddy Kirsch, 8, and Tiffany Granville, a camp counselor
and FFA member, are happy to make their own butter with cream donated by Dakin Dairy. — Lakewood Ranch's Teddy Kirsch, 8, and Tiffany Granville, a camp counselor and FFA member, are happy to make their own butter with cream donated by Dakin Dairy.

Bradenton's Mateo Bellantonio, 10, says making butter is his favorite because it is yummy.

Gigi Canali, a member of FFA and camp counselor of 3 years, checks on the butter for 7-year-old Genevieve Shatraw.

Lakewood Ranch's Charlotte Wort, 7, says she had fun dancing, making butter and squeezing milk out of the cow.

Lucy, a 5-year-old Holstein cow who travels with Dakin Dairy Ag Experience, has been a show animal since she was 6 months old.

Jennifer Griffith, an agriculture advocate with Dakin Dairy Ag Experience, says traveling with Lucy, a 5-year-old Holstein cow, gives the community an opportunity to see the milking process up close.

Lakewood Ranch's Camden Satterly, 10, says she struggled to get milk to come out of Lucy the cow's udder because she didn't want to hurt her.

Myakka City's Chloe Erickson, 8, milks a cow for the first time at Junior Rancher's Agriculture Summer Camp.

Lakewood Ranch's Sylvie Shatraw, 7, milks a cow from Dakin Dairy Ag Experience with the help of Ag Advocate Jennifer Griffith during the Junior Rancher's Agriculture Summer Camp at Lakewood Ranch High School.

Lakewood Ranch's Jakob Howarter, 8, is happy to milk a cow from Dakin Dairy Ag Experience during the Junior Rancher's Agriculture Summer Camp at Lakewood Ranch High School.

Bradenton's Bastian Bellantonio, 4, and his dad, Assistant Principal Thomas Bellantonio, couldn't resist stopping by the Junior Rancher's Agriculture Summer Camp to milk the cow.

author

Madison Bierl

Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter for the East County Observer. She grew up in Iowa and studied at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.