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Henry County Farm Bureau engages youth through literacy and agriculture education
From story times to agriculture education in the classroom, Henry County Farm Bureau continues to connect with the next generation
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MT. PLEASANT — As the number of families directly involved in farming continues to decline, the Henry County Farm Bureau is making efforts to ensure that the next generation understands the importance of agriculture. Through initiatives like story time at the Salem Crew Library and the Ag in the Classroom program, the organization is bridging the gap between children and the agricultural industry in engaging and interactive ways.
This year, Henry County Farm Bureau has hosted two agriculture-themed story hours at the Salem Crew Library to bring farm-related literacy to young children.
At the first story time, Henry County Farm Bureau Outreach Coordinator Sarah Seitz says she and Sabrina Pidgeon created an apple theme for the children.
“So, kids got to taste test apples and rate their own favorites,” Seitz said. “They kind of learned a little bit about the life cycle of an apple.”
One way the children at story time learned about the life cycle came from Pidgeon’s reading of Apples by Gail Gibbons. The book explores the history of apples and how families and farmers grow and care for apple trees from planting to selling, to making yummy treats.
During the most recent story hour, the focus shifted to dairy farming. The children listened to a reading of My Family’s Dairy Farm, a book from the Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation’s My Family’s Farm series.
“Sabrina read that book for kids that were in attendance that morning, and they learned about dairy production and how life on the farm is for dairy farmers,” Seitz explained.
To enhance the learning experience, children participated in a milk taste test, sampling and rating different types of milk, including skim, 1%, 2%, chocolate, soy, and almond. They then created bar graphs to visualize the group’s preferences.
Seitz credits Farm Bureau board member Sabrina Pidgeon with helping establish the partnership with the Salem Crew Library that spurred the story time.
“She’s from Salem, and when we had a board meeting and discussed the opportunity to do something with a local library, she said that Salem would be a really good fit,” Seitz said. “They were very generous in offering their activity room and reading corner to us.”
Beyond story time, the Henry County Farm Bureau runs an Ag in the Classroom program, which brings agriculture education directly into schools.
“I go into New London, and I do a little bit in Lincoln Elementary this year in Mt. Pleasant,” Seitz said. “I see first-graders there, and I see kindergarten through fourth grade at New London right now for this school year.”
Each month, students explore a different agricultural topic. From dairy farming to corn and soybean production, Seitz covers a wide range of topics as she brings agriculture to classrooms in Henry County. She even ventures into topics like sugar beets and sugar can so students can better understand that forming and agriculture are not just what they see in their corner of the world.
“I think it's super important,” Seitz said. “As there are less and less farmers that are engaged in production agriculture, we see our youth getting further and further separated from that. This gives them an opportunity to understand where their food, their fiber and their fuel comes from, and have a better understanding of how it impacts them in their daily lives.”
For students Seitz cannot reach in person, she provides monthly kits that include lesson plans and materials for teachers to facilitate agriculture education in their classrooms.
To further its mission, the Henry County Farm Bureau offers an Ag Literacy Grant to local educators in grades K-12. The grant supports classroom projects, field trips, and hands-on agricultural learning experiences. Last semester, the organization awarded grants to four teachers: Angie Seifert (New London), Kari McAllister (New London), Tina Harris (New London), and Lindsay Sivett (WACO).
Seifert used her grant to purchase materials for a lesson on bees and beekeeping. Other grants have funded ag-related field trips and classroom activities that bring students closer to the farming world.
As the Henry County Farm Bureau continues to expand its youth programming, Seitz is optimistic about the future of agricultural education in the community.
“This is my third school year in this role, and it seems to grow and grow every year,” she said. “Last year, we had a tremendous number of teachers requesting visits. I have great teachers who see the importance of making this a part of their everyday curriculum.”
By fostering a connection between children and agriculture, the Henry County Farm Bureau is planting the seeds of agricultural literacy that will help ensure future generations understand and appreciate the role farming plays in their daily lives.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
