9-21 means a lot of things to a lot of people.......This Day in History discusses Collin Powell becoming the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989, and even George Clooney debuting on the TV Show "The Facts of Life" in 1985. It is also the birthday of Stephen King and HG Wells. But yesterday, on 9-21, I spent the early evening with a group of teachers at the Chicago Teacher Center, and nobody really cared that Facebook had changed it's format. Instead, we were concentration on an upper level activity for Ag in the Classroom featuring "The Hungry Planet" .
In our discussions, we use the book as a starting point to discuss what connects the 6.96 or so billion people who live on the earth....our food. And how farmers in the United States are providing healthy food for their families, and families around the world. We started with an explanation of corn and soybean exports as featured in our Ag Mags, as well as how the US uses products made from corn and soybeans. Then we talked about how much land is actually used for growing food around the world.
It is called a Slice of Soil, and it shows by slicing up an apple that only 1/32 of the earth's surface is used to produce our food. 3/4 of the earth ocean, 1/8 is deserts, swamps, Antarctic, mountain regions, and the last 1/8 is where man can live -but may or may not be able to grow food--that includes places that are too wet, too rocky, too dry or where soil is too poor to grow food. Plus it includes areas that are developed by man. That leaves 1/32 of the surface of the earth. Next time you are in a store---check out an apple. The little sticker on each apple is about the size of all the land we have to grow food on. And that area doesn't get any bigger.
The teachers in my session were stunned by this, and realized they didn't have a direct connection to where there food came from. Shocked by this 4th grade lesson these adults all teachers from the City of Chicago spent the next 2 hours discussing where their food came from, what Americans have access to, as well as what people from other nations have for food access. This lead to discussions on food deserts, nutrition, packaging, marketing, markets and even weather. One of our 'Chicago Area Supporters' (meaning she has used AITC for several years!) said she heard the price of beef would go up next year as a result of the drought in Texas, and we discussed the weather as an impact on agricultural availabilities.
It was a very interesting session, and I am confident the teachers will be ordering Ag Mags soon! The ironic part was, we decided that even if Facebook went away, roughly only 4% of the population would be impacted. But if we lose our access to soil, all 7 billion people will be impacted!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Talk like a farmer day??
Today, September 19, is "International Talk Like a Pirate Day'. Seriously! Today you can share your 'AArrrr' and 'Ahoy Matey' with your friends and family without feeling awkward..
As Illinois Harvest 2011 gears up, I thought maybe we should have 'Talk Like a Farmer Day". My father-in-law and brother-in-law farm. I work for the Farm Bureau, and I live in a small town and attend church with several farmers. Trust me there is a different language when it comes to farming.
Remember, these are the people working to grow healthy food for you and your family. The corn and beans they raise, along with the animals they care for become our food, fiber fuel and so much more. What does it mean to talk like a farmer? Well maybe you should take a look at what farmers are talking about.
With harvest approaching--trust me there is discussion of yield. Yield is how many bushels per acre they have harvested from certain fields. Farmers work to have high yields, but with the weather complications earlier this year, they are finding yields uncertain. Moisture content is something else they are mentioning. Farmers harvest crops when they have 'dried' down. They look to harvest corn and market it when it is below 18% (or lower) moisture. The lower the moisture, the lower the spoilage rate. If crops are harvested with too much moisture they must 'dry' the crop, typically with grain dryers that involved forced air and heat. As you can imagine, this step adds cost to the crop, that is taken from the income the farmer earns from that field or crop.
There is plenty of talk about weather too. Back in July when some of the state couldn't buy a rain shower, it is raining now. And some parts of the state had too much rain. Then of course you look at Texas that hasn't had rain in months. There is something about farmers and the weather. Farmers were working to 'put up hay' before the rain over the weekend. You can be sure farmers talk about the weather a lot!
There is also plenty to talk about with Trade. What would a Free Trade Agreement with Panama, South Korea and Columbia look like and how will it impact markets? Then there are the markets if they are up or down. There may also be talk of new trucking regulations, labor regulations, and even new plants used in biomass fuel production. Plus, don't forget the weather, and the markets!
In the farmer talks I hear, there is usually a discussion of football at the high school, college or professional level. And family--who is doing what, when. If there has been an issue in a family or a farm family that needs help harvesting, you can be assured you will find neighbors and farmers willing to help.
Visit farmweeknow.com to read the latest on what farmers are talking about!
So-maybe some day next week--instead of talking like a Pirate, you can learn to talk like a farmer. Remember, a farmer somewhere is helping put food on your table!
As Illinois Harvest 2011 gears up, I thought maybe we should have 'Talk Like a Farmer Day". My father-in-law and brother-in-law farm. I work for the Farm Bureau, and I live in a small town and attend church with several farmers. Trust me there is a different language when it comes to farming.
Remember, these are the people working to grow healthy food for you and your family. The corn and beans they raise, along with the animals they care for become our food, fiber fuel and so much more. What does it mean to talk like a farmer? Well maybe you should take a look at what farmers are talking about.
With harvest approaching--trust me there is discussion of yield. Yield is how many bushels per acre they have harvested from certain fields. Farmers work to have high yields, but with the weather complications earlier this year, they are finding yields uncertain. Moisture content is something else they are mentioning. Farmers harvest crops when they have 'dried' down. They look to harvest corn and market it when it is below 18% (or lower) moisture. The lower the moisture, the lower the spoilage rate. If crops are harvested with too much moisture they must 'dry' the crop, typically with grain dryers that involved forced air and heat. As you can imagine, this step adds cost to the crop, that is taken from the income the farmer earns from that field or crop.
There is plenty of talk about weather too. Back in July when some of the state couldn't buy a rain shower, it is raining now. And some parts of the state had too much rain. Then of course you look at Texas that hasn't had rain in months. There is something about farmers and the weather. Farmers were working to 'put up hay' before the rain over the weekend. You can be sure farmers talk about the weather a lot!
There is also plenty to talk about with Trade. What would a Free Trade Agreement with Panama, South Korea and Columbia look like and how will it impact markets? Then there are the markets if they are up or down. There may also be talk of new trucking regulations, labor regulations, and even new plants used in biomass fuel production. Plus, don't forget the weather, and the markets!
In the farmer talks I hear, there is usually a discussion of football at the high school, college or professional level. And family--who is doing what, when. If there has been an issue in a family or a farm family that needs help harvesting, you can be assured you will find neighbors and farmers willing to help.
Visit farmweeknow.com to read the latest on what farmers are talking about!
So-maybe some day next week--instead of talking like a Pirate, you can learn to talk like a farmer. Remember, a farmer somewhere is helping put food on your table!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
I'll just have a candy bar.....
Couldn't go anywhere today without hearing about apples. You know it is fall--apples are coming on strong, and now Dr. Oz says apple juice contains arsenic. Yikes! Arsenic! That is the stuff that the old ladies used to kill people in the classic play 'Arsenic and Old Lace' by Joseph Kesselring. You mean there is arsenic in our apple juice?
Where do we find arsenic? If you listened to the news we find arsenic in our apple juice.
But wait a minute---if my memory from High School Chemistry (Thanks Mr. Sullivan) serves correctly...... Arsenic is an ELEMENT. (Symbol As, Atomic Number 33) That is right--it occurs in nature it can be both ORGANIC and INORGANIC. We are exposed to arsenic all around us.
Later today the FDA said that their tests showed no evidence of public health risks from drinking apple juice......but who do we believe? Dr. Oz---a noted heart surgeon at Columbia University and TV Talk Show Host---formerly on Oprah......or the US Government..... I mean really---who do we believe?
An activity we use at Ag in the Classroom involves color changing pencils---like mood rings of years past. We ask teachers to tell us why the pencil changes color---they typically guess heat. But is it heat, or pressure, or moisture, or even a chemical reaction because of lotion or antibacterial soap.......really it could be any of those options--but our point is---don't just 'guess' or 'believe' what you hear---instead investigate and dig a little deeper. Maybe questions what you hear and where it comes from. I mean did anyone wonder why Dr. Oz announced this on the first week of the new season? Dr. Phil is interviewing the Anthony Family, Dr. Oz has us worried about apple juice...is it me, or is this the kick off to the new season?
I'm not saying arsenic can't be dangerous, but I am saying I wonder what is really the meaning behind this recent update. Hopefully this will cause people to stop and wonder what is really going on.
I don't know about you---but I'm not taking any chances---I'll just have a candy bar!
Where do we find arsenic? If you listened to the news we find arsenic in our apple juice.
But wait a minute---if my memory from High School Chemistry (Thanks Mr. Sullivan) serves correctly...... Arsenic is an ELEMENT. (Symbol As, Atomic Number 33) That is right--it occurs in nature it can be both ORGANIC and INORGANIC. We are exposed to arsenic all around us.
Later today the FDA said that their tests showed no evidence of public health risks from drinking apple juice......but who do we believe? Dr. Oz---a noted heart surgeon at Columbia University and TV Talk Show Host---formerly on Oprah......or the US Government..... I mean really---who do we believe?
An activity we use at Ag in the Classroom involves color changing pencils---like mood rings of years past. We ask teachers to tell us why the pencil changes color---they typically guess heat. But is it heat, or pressure, or moisture, or even a chemical reaction because of lotion or antibacterial soap.......really it could be any of those options--but our point is---don't just 'guess' or 'believe' what you hear---instead investigate and dig a little deeper. Maybe questions what you hear and where it comes from. I mean did anyone wonder why Dr. Oz announced this on the first week of the new season? Dr. Phil is interviewing the Anthony Family, Dr. Oz has us worried about apple juice...is it me, or is this the kick off to the new season?
I'm not saying arsenic can't be dangerous, but I am saying I wonder what is really the meaning behind this recent update. Hopefully this will cause people to stop and wonder what is really going on.
I don't know about you---but I'm not taking any chances---I'll just have a candy bar!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The 30 Second Seminar
That Ag Guy--so what do you exactly do? Agriculture in the Classroom(AITC) is often called a part of the Agriculture Literacy movement. I spent 10 years teaching Junior High English and Social Studies. I worked for a publishing company for 2 years before coming to AITC a little over 11 years ago. When I first took the job at AITC I explained to someone, who knew my background, that I would be working in Agricultural Literacy----they paused and thought reflectively upon my background---and said---"So you are going to teach farmers how to read?" I guess they took the words too literally.
What does it mean to be AGRICULTURALLY LITERATE? Seriously, have you ever thought about it?
I firmly believe that you can hold the attention of about anyone for 30 seconds----People may ask you a question and patiently and politely wait for an answer for about 30 seconds. In a job where people don't understand what you are doing--I've found those 30 seconds count!!
What do I do? Simply put--I help students and teachers make a connection to their food, fiber and fuel systems and see the connection to agriculture. Our society is so far removed from the origin of their food--that many people believe that food comes from the store. FFA Students often wear a t-shirt that says 'Naked and Hungry' on the front---and on the back "Where you would be without Agriculture". It is a simple, startling statement that can make people pause and think about how agriculture impacts them.
Bringing that connection home is what we work on in the AITC Program. We have the added benefit of working with teachers. If we can show teachers the basics of how they consume agricultural products, they can pass that on to student. The students can pass that on to parents. Perhaps we'll build a ground swell of support where more students know, understand and appreciate where there food comes from.......perhaps.
Think about your 30 seconds how wisely will you use them to explain the importance of what you do?
What does it mean to be AGRICULTURALLY LITERATE? Seriously, have you ever thought about it?
I firmly believe that you can hold the attention of about anyone for 30 seconds----People may ask you a question and patiently and politely wait for an answer for about 30 seconds. In a job where people don't understand what you are doing--I've found those 30 seconds count!!
What do I do? Simply put--I help students and teachers make a connection to their food, fiber and fuel systems and see the connection to agriculture. Our society is so far removed from the origin of their food--that many people believe that food comes from the store. FFA Students often wear a t-shirt that says 'Naked and Hungry' on the front---and on the back "Where you would be without Agriculture". It is a simple, startling statement that can make people pause and think about how agriculture impacts them.
Bringing that connection home is what we work on in the AITC Program. We have the added benefit of working with teachers. If we can show teachers the basics of how they consume agricultural products, they can pass that on to student. The students can pass that on to parents. Perhaps we'll build a ground swell of support where more students know, understand and appreciate where there food comes from.......perhaps.
Think about your 30 seconds how wisely will you use them to explain the importance of what you do?
Welcome to IAITC's adventure in blogging!
A couple of years ago, at a Pre-Service Workshop (that is a University presentation for students majoring in education) someone said---"Hey Wait---You are that Illinois Ag Guy". I really didn't know how to take it.
My wife's family---and my own---would certainly laugh being called 'That Ag Guy'---but truth be told---for a number of teachers and students, Agriculture in the Classroom is as close as they get to agriculture in a given day.
My name is Kevin Daugherty, and I serve as the Education Director of the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Program. The views expressed here are my views, but I hope to share with you a glimpse of what we see in Agricultural Literacy across the state!
What does Ag in the Classroom (AITC) do? We work to develop resources that can be easily implemented into Pre-K through 12 classrooms that serve as a springboard to integrate agriculture into Language, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Our main office in Bloomington, Illinois works with individual counties across the state to provide resources, teacher training and county support. Through our network of Agriculture Literacy Coordinators across the state and the various educational supports of Illinois Commodity Groups and Agribusiness, we form our own 'Powerhouse' of Agricultural Literacy! Additionally, we work with other state Agriculture in the Classroom programs.
And so we begin! My goal in this blog will be to share what we're doing, feature various teachers, University Pre-Service instructors, and those involved in agriculture.
A little about myself.......I'm a 1988 Graduate of the University of Illinois College of Education, I have my MS from Eastern Illinois University, and have been with Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (a department of the Illinois Farm Bureau) since 2000. I'm married with 3 children, am active in our local church, as well as various civic endeavors including serving as the President of the local School Board.
Our first adventure this week will feature comments about an upcoming program we call AITC 101 for newcomers to the Illinois AITC Program as well as a meeting about a new publication relating careers and biotechnology to agriculture.
My wife's family---and my own---would certainly laugh being called 'That Ag Guy'---but truth be told---for a number of teachers and students, Agriculture in the Classroom is as close as they get to agriculture in a given day.
My name is Kevin Daugherty, and I serve as the Education Director of the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Program. The views expressed here are my views, but I hope to share with you a glimpse of what we see in Agricultural Literacy across the state!
What does Ag in the Classroom (AITC) do? We work to develop resources that can be easily implemented into Pre-K through 12 classrooms that serve as a springboard to integrate agriculture into Language, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Our main office in Bloomington, Illinois works with individual counties across the state to provide resources, teacher training and county support. Through our network of Agriculture Literacy Coordinators across the state and the various educational supports of Illinois Commodity Groups and Agribusiness, we form our own 'Powerhouse' of Agricultural Literacy! Additionally, we work with other state Agriculture in the Classroom programs.
And so we begin! My goal in this blog will be to share what we're doing, feature various teachers, University Pre-Service instructors, and those involved in agriculture.
A little about myself.......I'm a 1988 Graduate of the University of Illinois College of Education, I have my MS from Eastern Illinois University, and have been with Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (a department of the Illinois Farm Bureau) since 2000. I'm married with 3 children, am active in our local church, as well as various civic endeavors including serving as the President of the local School Board.
Our first adventure this week will feature comments about an upcoming program we call AITC 101 for newcomers to the Illinois AITC Program as well as a meeting about a new publication relating careers and biotechnology to agriculture.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)