Kids program offers chance to touch bones, or delve into digestion

Haywood Public Library will get more than skin deep with a forensic anthropology program at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at the Waynesville branch and Tuesday, July 29, at the Canton branch.

John Williams, director of Western Carolina University’s forensic anthropology program, will present the program as part of the library’s Summer Science Fun Club for children ages 9-16. He’ll talk about what it’s like to be a forensic anthropologist, and he’ll bring along some real human bones. Participants will get to handle them and see how to determine a skeleton’s age and sex. Williams is one of 72 board-certified forensic anthropologists in the nation and has worked with human skeletons for nearly 40 years. 

Also coming up, an interactive program on animal eating habits and digestion will be held at 11 a.m. July 10 at the library in Waynesville and again July 17 at the library in Canton, led by children’s author Dawn Cusick who will incorporate her books into the discussion. Children will be able to create a diet for their animal and make a fun dessert complete with digestive juices.

828.648.2924 for Canton or 828.452.5169 for Waynesville. 

Camp acquaints kids with Scottish heritage

A three-day Farm to Fork day damp for kids ages 5 to 13 focusing on Scottish Appalachian heritage will be held from July 29-31 in Haywood County through the 4-H program.

Campers will get to tour a local sheep farm and Scottish Highlander Cattle farm in Haywood County, have afternoon tea at the Herron House, create Scottish crafts, make shortbread, participate in a youth version of the Scottish games, and learn about farming and preservation methods used by the early Scottish Appalachian settlers.   

It is put on by the Haywood County Cooperative Extension 4-H arm and sponsored by Farm Bureau. The cost is $35, which includes materials and lunches, and includes joining 4-H. 828.456.3575.