Second graders learn about agriculture in NYS

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker joined more than 500 volunteers, including department employees, to promote agriculture literacy across New York state. Held in conjunction with National Agriculture Week, the goal of Agricultural Literacy Day is to increase the awareness and understanding of agriculture by having volunteers read an agriculture-themed book to students. Local, Albion, Kendall and Lyndonville second grade classes participated in Ag Literacy Day.

Agricultural Literacy Day is an example of how the agricultural industry is working together to reestablish the understanding and appreciation for the food and services farmers provide our local communities.

On March 21, Agricultural Literacy Day, more than 500 volunteers throughout the state visited 1,100 schools to read a book with an agricultural theme and talked to students about agriculture in New York. The book was donated to the school library with a special bookplate recognizing the donor and Agricultural Literacy Day. Locally, 4-H clubs and 4-H volunteers donated enough books for each classroom to receive their own book. Following the book reading, teachers were provided with a lesson plan and materials for planting and experimenting with marigold seeds.

In Kendall, Eric Brown of Brown's Berry Patch read to the 2nd grade classrooms and in Lyndonville, Margo Bowerman of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension read to the second grade classrooms. In Albion, Albion FFA members read to the second grade classrooms.

The book that was featured for this year's Agricultural Literacy Day was Lily's Garden by Deborah Kogan Ray. Lily's Garden creates a calendar of the year seen through the lens of things planted, grown and harvested. Lily's Garden demonstrates the procession of months and the change of seasons, the holidays and ultimately the passage of an entire year in the garden are celebrated.

For information on the New York Agricultural Literacy Day or New York Ag in the Classroom, contact Director of Agriculture Outreach and Education, Perry Dewey, at 607-255-7381 or ptd7@cornell.edu, or visit the Ag in the Classroom website at http://cerp.cornell.edu/aitc/.

March 25, 2007