At this school, you’ll meet Carson, Jeff, Calvin, Francis, and Double Stuffed. They’re not students or teachers. They’re cows!

Well, technically they’re cattle. Cows are female cattle and bulls are male cattle. Any cattle farmer can tell you that—and a lot more. Cattle farmers spend their days and nights working with cows and bulls. They really know where their food comes from! But does the average school student know?

The ones at Maconaquah Middle School in Bunker, Indiana, do. Their school isn’t just a school. It’s a farm too. Cattle live on pastures at and near the school. Every day, students head out for chores. They give the animals food and medicine. They clean pens. Chores don’t stop on weekends or holidays—and neither do students. Soon, the kids will reap the reward of their work. Two of the cattle will be turned into several hundred pounds of beef—and served up on cafeteria trays.

Kids in one of the school’s business classes worked on the plan to produce their own meat. They certainly picked a pricey project! Where would they get the money? They presented their ideas to officials. Local builders volunteered to construct a barn at the school. Area farmers donated the cattle. Students helped build a fence, and the cows moved into their new home.

Students in the program spend some of their time in the classroom. They study farming and learn about what animals need to live well. But they do most of their learning out in the field. When their cows get big enough, they will sell the meat back to the school. They will use the money to buy new cows. One of their cows will have a baby calf in June. Then their work—and fun—will start all over again.