The Tar River Chapter of The National Wild Turkey Federation is hard at work, planning a day dedicated to the children in our area.

From 9 a.m. until noon, on September 25, they will hold their annual J.A.K.E.S. Day on Rose Hill Farm, just north of Nashville.

J.A.K.E.S. stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge Ethics and Sportsmanship.

A jake is a young wild turkey, and our Tar River Chapter does a wonderful job making sure the children that attend the event go home with a lot of stories to share about the outdoors.

Rose Hill Farm is a wonderful place to have the event. The farm has rolling grassy hills, paths, farm ponds and is home to many species of wildlife.

Many events have been planned for the morning, and many more still are in the works. It will be an action-packed day, and comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

As soon as you park, head straight for the registration booth. You will not be allowed to participate unless you have a stamp on your hand.

From that point, the children and their parents will be able to travel to different stations on the plantation, each offering a taste of the outdoors.

All youngsters are challenged to test their skills at the BB gun shoot. Age groups are separated, and there are plenty of prizes for the ones who can shoot straight.

With hunting season already underway, we all need to think safety. Chris Butler will be on hand to show his tree stands, and how to use them safely.

There might be a few reptiles at one station. All the harmful ones will be secure, but you can get a close look at them.

Geocaching was a hit last year, and its popularity is spreading worldwide. In geocaching, objects are hidden and their location is programmed into GPS coordinates. Once found, the objects can be re-hidden anywhere in the world.

One of the more popular events is the fossil dig. Rich soil is brought in from Aurora, and hidden in it are shark’s teeth, shells, bones and artifacts from past sea life. Roger Seale from Kamlar makes sure this pile is loaded.

Abrams BBQ of Tarboro will once again sponsor their rock-climbing wall. Wildlife officers will be on hand to answer questions and talk about hunter safety.

Bill Collart with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will have fish in his aquarium that are native to our region. It will be interesting how Collart catches these fish, but I bet you can see a bass, bluegill bream, crappie or even a catfish.

The children will be treated to a hands on demonstration of archery.

This station will test their skills with real bows and arrows, with life-sized animal targets to aim those arrows.

The Boy Scouts play a major role in J.A.K.E.S. Day.

They camp out on the farm the night before the event and construct their famous rope bridge. This year there also will be a fast zip line.

Hot dogs and drinks will be available for a dollar each.

The Rocky Mount Evening Optimist Club always does a great job with lunch, and remember all the proceeds are donated to the scouts to help them fund other projects throughout the year.

If you plan to attend this year, you can pre-register at jimvickers@embarqmail.com.

Do not forget to register first.

That booth begins all the fun. I hope to see you there.