Third-graders throughout the county will get a unique opportunity to get some hands-on learning Wednesday and Thursday.

The 20th annual farm tours for third-graders, sponsored by the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce agriculture committee, will show third-graders Larry Reynen’s potato farm, Gary Braaten’s hog farm and John Miller’s dairy farm.

On Wednesday, students from Albert Lea’s Hawthorne, Lakeview, Halverson and Sibley elementaries and third-graders from St. Theodore Catholic School will visit the farms. On Thursday, students from New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, United South Central and Glenville-Emmons will tour the farms.

About 400 students will particpate in the tours. Teachers tie the tours in with social studies curriculum.

Braaten, who operates a 4,000-head hog finishing operation with Brent Young, will participate in his 12th year with the farm tours. Students are guided through the operations, learn fun facts about the pigs and facilities and have questions answered along the way.

Braaten and Young’s operation is in rural Austin, Miller’s farm is near Oakland and Reynen’s farm is near Maple Island.