WALTON, Kansas, Sept. 21, 2007 -- With so many family farms struggling to survive, more young people are choosing careers outside agriculture. Now a new Kansas charter school is teaching the next generation how technology can not only make country living possible, but profitable.

As more than 100 elementary students head into school in Walton, they will actually spend little time behind a desk. Their classroom is the countryside of Harvey County. A walk in the fresh air starts their day and every subject they study ties into agriculture -- now in the computer age.

"Kids are going to the big cities and getting into technology in the big cities so we want to show kids you can do some of the technology things at home on the family farm as well," said principal Natise Vogt, Walton Rural Life Center.

Like using GPS tracking on cattle and combines and wind turbines for energy. Even something simple like mapping out a vegetable crop uses math. And geometry helps students estimate the size of a butterfly garden with a square foot of cardboard tied to their foot.

They weigh the ingredients for homemade salsa.

"They're using fractions -- 1/2 and 1/4. They're measuring teaspoons, half a teaspoon," said fifth grade teacher Kathy Murphy.

They are also learning finance, cooking up a school fundraiser by growing their own peppers, tomatoes and onions, mixing up different salsa recipes and taste-testing to find the best.

Eventually the kids want to put together their own salsa-making kits to sell, but before they do that they have to come up with a business plan.

"The bank has come in and talked to the kids about interest and a loan."

So have they learned some things from this? "Oooh yes," said student Hunter Lanier. "Starting up your own business is pretty hard!"

A lesson in history also becomes hands-on with a corn sheller from the turn of the century, donated by a local farmer looking to the future.

"It keeps the agricultural picture in the forefront and allows the kids to get a little dirty every now and then, but see things grow and see how they work," said Mike Flavin, farmer.

It's planting a seed of hope that some of these students will grow into the farmers of tomorrow and protect the way of life rural Kansas is built on.

The Walton school also wants to put in a pond, a wind turbine and a barn to house chickens and sheep. And someday, all the food in the cafeteria will be served family-style.