We have had many children out to our homestead.
Girl groups, church groups, boy groups, little kids, teenage kids, lots of kids. I love opening our home and farm so others can see how we live and where food comes from.
I always start the day by asking the kids some questions like:
- Where do peas come from?
- Where do eggs come from?
- Where do peaches come from?
- How does asparagus grow?
The answers I get would astonish you. Many of them say, “Kroger.” Many of them have no idea how food actually grows. Many of them have never considered that their burgers and bacon used to be cows and pigs. I love showing them.
There are farms open to the public and opportunities to teach your kids where food comes from all over the place around here. We have farms, CSA’s, and family homesteads who (most of them) are willing and happy to open their place for tours.
One of these opportunities in my county is Ag-Day.
I had the privilege of speaking at our County’s Ag-Day this year.
Agriculture loving folks in the community are all brought together to teach a few hundred kids about the different aspects of the agriculture industry.
It is a sweet event filled with 10 year olds. They get to skip the classrooms and spend a day “on the farm.”
They learn about sustainable farming practices and how equipment helps farmers.
They learn about animal husbandry. What it takes to raise and care for the different livestock. What foods, textiles and dairy products come from which animals.
They also learn about farming fruits and vegetables. The kids are introduced to how different foods are grown, harvested and make it to their tables.
Even the county library was there with hundreds of books on farming and agriculture for the kids to enjoy.
I was there with Rosie the Milk-Cow! I’m sure Rosie was the star of the show. Wink.
They set up a corral for Rosie. Right before the children got off the buses to begin their tours a lady delivered a box to my station.
She walked up and said, “Are you Rosie?”
I said, “No, she is.” (pointing to the cow)
She handed me a box and said, “This is for her.”
This is the first time Rosie has ever received a box in the mail (or any mail for that matter). I opened the box to find 3 posters, hundreds of cow print pencils and dairy coloring books to hand out to the kids. So cute!
AG-Day was fun. I love kids. Some of them may have been shocked, amazed or surprised, but I think they all know a little more about where food comes from.
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Happy Ag-Day!
Candi
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