Chenango County students learn strawberry fun facts during Agricultural Literacy Week
Snap Ed Nutrition Educator Whitney Kmetz shares the health benefits of Strawberries with Oxford Academy third grade students. New York Agriculture in the Classroom is coordinating with Chenango County Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) for the 20th annual New York Agricultural Literacy Week, from March 18 to March 22. (Submitted photo)
CHENANGO COUNTY — New York Agriculture in the Classroom is coordinating with Chenango County Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) for the 20th annual New York Agricultural Literacy Week, from March 18 to March 22. This year’s subject is all about about strawberries.
In Chenango County, books and supplies have been delivered to Otselic Valley, Greene, Sherburne Earlville, Unadilla Valley, Afton, Valley Heights, Oxford Academy, Bainbridge Guilford, and Norwich City Schools.
“Community members around the state will be volunteering to read ‘I Love Strawberries’ by Shannon Anderson, to elementary classrooms, pre-k to fifth grade,” said Chenango County Agriculture Literacy Week Coordinator Kristi Gorrell.
The book is written through the eyes of a young girl who tries to convince her parents she is responsible enough to start a strawberry garden. Her journal entries take students through the excitement, trials and dedication of caring for fruit plants.
Gorrell said CCE Chenango 4-H Agriculture in the Classroom Educator Shealyn Otto has been essential to the program’s success and will be reading, and teaching strawberry fun facts to over 30 classrooms as part of the 4-H Agriculture in the Classroom program.
She said they anticipate over 1,500 Chenango County youth will be engaged in this Ag Literacy Week initiative. And said at the completion of the program, each school district will add the book to their library.
“The program covers a lot of growing your own food, canning and preserving,” said Gorrell. “ Every day and every lesson in some way, touches on being sustainable and being self sufficient for yourself.”
“In a small or large scale; lessons are taught- what you can do to grow your own food, or your own vegetables, have your own chickens, have your own eggs, and more,” she added. “I definitely think there is a need to teach children how to love doing this for themselves,” Gorrell said.
She explained the lessons also include the importance of dairy, tapping trees for maple syrup, bee keeping, and more. She said they inform the students that no matter where they live, either in the village or in the country, they can grow their own food.
“All the things we do in the program, because they are natural, are healthy choices for life,” she said. ”Even being outside in nature is beneficial.”
“The decision to which book will be read each year is made by the National Ag Literacy Committee,” she added. “When we know what the book is for the year, we reach out to some of our partners and ask if anyone would like to sponsor the purchase of the books,” Gorrell said.
The books cost $12 each and we make sure we have enough to leave a book in each library in each school we partner with during Ag Literacy week.
Gorrell said the Cornell Cooperative Extension would like to extend their appreciation to Deb Dushko, Victoria L. Gregory, and The Oxford Farmer’s Market, for the donations they provided, so that each participating district incurred no cost by participating.
“We would also like to thank our volunteer readers this year, Thaddeus Karaman, Victoria L. Gregory, and Makayla Kemmeran for donating their time reading to students across the county, said Gorrell. “We appreciate everything you do for our community.”
According to the Ag classroom website, agricultural literacy is understanding and being able to communicate the source and value of agriculture and how it affects daily lives.
Over 20% of the nation’s workforce is in some way involved in food processing, marketing, distribution, and sales – and everyone eats.
New York Agriculture in the Classroom envisions a day when all students have the opportunity to understand the economic, social, historical, and scientific significance of agriculture to our society; explore food system career opportunities; and recognize the connection between agricultural production and the daily need for food and fiber products.
Questions about the program can be directed to the Chenango County Agriculture Literacy Week Coordinator Kristi Gorrell at email Kg499@cornell.edu or phone 607-334-5841 ext.1112.
More information about Agricultural Literacy Week can be found at the New York Agriculture in the Classroom website www.agclassroom.org/ny.
To read about additional programs and opportunities, visit Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County and Chenango County 4-H on Facebook.
In Chenango County, books and supplies have been delivered to Otselic Valley, Greene, Sherburne Earlville, Unadilla Valley, Afton, Valley Heights, Oxford Academy, Bainbridge Guilford, and Norwich City Schools.
“Community members around the state will be volunteering to read ‘I Love Strawberries’ by Shannon Anderson, to elementary classrooms, pre-k to fifth grade,” said Chenango County Agriculture Literacy Week Coordinator Kristi Gorrell.
The book is written through the eyes of a young girl who tries to convince her parents she is responsible enough to start a strawberry garden. Her journal entries take students through the excitement, trials and dedication of caring for fruit plants.
Gorrell said CCE Chenango 4-H Agriculture in the Classroom Educator Shealyn Otto has been essential to the program’s success and will be reading, and teaching strawberry fun facts to over 30 classrooms as part of the 4-H Agriculture in the Classroom program.
She said they anticipate over 1,500 Chenango County youth will be engaged in this Ag Literacy Week initiative. And said at the completion of the program, each school district will add the book to their library.
“The program covers a lot of growing your own food, canning and preserving,” said Gorrell. “ Every day and every lesson in some way, touches on being sustainable and being self sufficient for yourself.”
“In a small or large scale; lessons are taught- what you can do to grow your own food, or your own vegetables, have your own chickens, have your own eggs, and more,” she added. “I definitely think there is a need to teach children how to love doing this for themselves,” Gorrell said.
She explained the lessons also include the importance of dairy, tapping trees for maple syrup, bee keeping, and more. She said they inform the students that no matter where they live, either in the village or in the country, they can grow their own food.
“All the things we do in the program, because they are natural, are healthy choices for life,” she said. ”Even being outside in nature is beneficial.”
“The decision to which book will be read each year is made by the National Ag Literacy Committee,” she added. “When we know what the book is for the year, we reach out to some of our partners and ask if anyone would like to sponsor the purchase of the books,” Gorrell said.
The books cost $12 each and we make sure we have enough to leave a book in each library in each school we partner with during Ag Literacy week.
Gorrell said the Cornell Cooperative Extension would like to extend their appreciation to Deb Dushko, Victoria L. Gregory, and The Oxford Farmer’s Market, for the donations they provided, so that each participating district incurred no cost by participating.
“We would also like to thank our volunteer readers this year, Thaddeus Karaman, Victoria L. Gregory, and Makayla Kemmeran for donating their time reading to students across the county, said Gorrell. “We appreciate everything you do for our community.”
According to the Ag classroom website, agricultural literacy is understanding and being able to communicate the source and value of agriculture and how it affects daily lives.
Over 20% of the nation’s workforce is in some way involved in food processing, marketing, distribution, and sales – and everyone eats.
New York Agriculture in the Classroom envisions a day when all students have the opportunity to understand the economic, social, historical, and scientific significance of agriculture to our society; explore food system career opportunities; and recognize the connection between agricultural production and the daily need for food and fiber products.
Questions about the program can be directed to the Chenango County Agriculture Literacy Week Coordinator Kristi Gorrell at email Kg499@cornell.edu or phone 607-334-5841 ext.1112.
More information about Agricultural Literacy Week can be found at the New York Agriculture in the Classroom website www.agclassroom.org/ny.
To read about additional programs and opportunities, visit Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County and Chenango County 4-H on Facebook.
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