Turtlefest comes to First School

Bucky and Diane Sharpe were soooo nice to come to Henry and Lucy's school to show them the turtles and alligators! Diane did a GREAT job with the younger group (Lucy and Hunt's classes (2-3's)) and then she did the older group and they LOVED it!

This is the MOMMA Alligator Snapping Turtle

This is the difference in a Alligator Snapper Turtle and a River Cooter.

This is the "Alligator Snapping Turtle" momma's shell

Henry with the shell on his back!

Bringing out the alligator

Henry held the alligator for his class

Miss Kristen...Henry's teacher....she was too scared to hold the alligator!!!

Courtney and Henry......and alligator

And.......before the Sharpes left....Henry got a turtle!

Meet LEONARDO!!

He's really cute and we all LOVE LEO!!

Turtlefest 2010

When we were in town in August for the Watermelon Festival we also attended Bucky and Diane Sharpes Turtle Dig at Grassy.

They have been doing this for like 17 years. Every May they watch as the Alligator Snapping Turtles come out of the lake to lay their eggs. The turtles come up on land and dig a hole, lay their eggs, and then cover the eggs up with dirt. Bucky then marks the nest with wire cages so that raccoons don't get the eggs and then in August they have a big Turtlefest! We dug up 7 nest and got about 50-60 eggs. Some of the eggs were already hatched and there were baby turtles, some of the eggs were hatching at that very moment. It was VERY NEAT! Henry, Dad, and I went. Henry loved it!

This was our first year to attend the Turtle Dig but hope to make it again next August!

Bucky digging up a nest...with lots of kids watching!

A turtle that just hatched

ME holding a baby alligator snapping turtle

Henry and a turtle

They also have a baby alligator that they have been approved by the game and fish to use for educational purposes. They go around to schools and give a presentation and show the kids the turtles and alligator.

Henry holding the alligator!