News from NH Agriculture in the Classroom

You will graze throughout the vineyard's beautiful dining facility, eating a variety of NH foods at each spot and getting a chance to meet the farmer who has grown or produced your evening's food.

Tickets may be purchased by calling our office at 603-224-1934.

To see more of the vineyard location, log onto

www.zorvino.com

TALKING TURKEY...

A group of turkeys is called a "rafter."

A nest full of turkey eggs is called a "clutch."

The male turkey is called a "tom." The female is called a "hen."

Only tom turkeys gobble. Hens make a clucking sound.

The red fleshy thing that hangs from a turkey's neck is called a "snood."

Only Toms have the long tassel like hair hanging from the lower neck. It is called his beard and is an easy way particularly in wild turkeys to tell the boys from the girls.

Only Toms fan their tails out, showing off.

Each Thanksgiving about 675 million pounds of turkey are consumed in the US. Americans consume an average of 18 pounds of turkey meat per capita each year.

Turkeys are raised extensively because of the excellent quality of their meat and eggs.

Turkeys have 3,500 feathers at maturity.

Sesame Street's Big Bird costume is made of turkey feathers.

Turkeys were first domesticated by the Aztecs in Mexico. Fossils show turkeys roamed Texas 2.5 million years ago.

Early European explorers took turkeys from the New World to Europe in the 16th Century.

In Europe the species became established as farmstead fowl.

In the 17th Century, English colonists brought turkeys back to the New World, introducing European-bred types to eastern North America.

When Europeans first encountered a turkey in the Americas, they incorrectly identified them as a type of peacock, known as a "turkey fowl" in Europe because it came from the exotic East. At that time Europeans associated anything from the east with the Ottoman Empire and often gave it the name of Turkey, the seat of the Ottoman Empire. They also assumed it was a turkey fowl because they thought they were in Asia.

The US is the world's largest turkey producer and largest exporter of turkey products. While exports are a major part of the US turkey market, people in the US also eat more turkey than people in other countries-13.6 pounds per person in 2007.

The top five turkey-producing states in 2007 were Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia and Mississippi.

While Americans prefer the white meat of turkeys, most of the rest of the world prefers the dark meat.

Before modern transportation, farmers in the British Isles put leather shoes on turkeys and walked them to market.

Turkeys are fed mainly a balanced diet of corn and soybean meal mixed with a supplement of vitamins and minerals. On average it takes 84 pounds of feed to raise a 30-pound tom turkey. A hen usually grows 16 weeks and weighs 8-16 pounds when processed. A tom takes about 19 weeks to get to a market weight of 24 pounds. Large toms (24-40 pounds) are a few weeks older.

Early in our history turkeys were kept on small farms not just for their meat but also because they ate large numbers of insects and so were a great source of pest control.

Turkeys are sometimes difficult to raise because they are very curious and tend to get their heads caught in fences. They must be taught to eat from special feeders and waterers, just like other baby animals.

Turkey skins are tanned and used to make items like cowboy boots, belts and other accessories.

The ballroom dance known as the Turkey Trot was named for the short, jerky steps a turkey makes.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE...

Poinsettias and Christmas Trees
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Speaking of Poinsettias--

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You are invited to attend an OPEN HOUSE at UNH!

The Gala Poinsettia Tree & Greenhouse
Open House
December 2-4
For more information,
contact
David Goodnow
at 862-2061

Howdy,
Welcome teachers and Agriculture in the Classroom friends to our October newsletter. Can you see app apple text

les and not think of an apple for the teacher, A is for apple, or an apple a day...? Apple picking excursions have always been traditional in our family, but this year is the first time I can remember needing to call local orchards to find out if there is actually fruit to pick. Late spring frosts caused heavy damages in various parts of New Hampshire, yet many trees put out more buds anyway which produced apples way up higher, in some cases too high for u-pick operations to risk letting the public pick. Nevertheless, there are plenty of orchards open for fall fun and frolic that results in fragrant kitchens and healthy treats. We invite you to call or write us for materials to sweeten up your autumn days by integrating apple facts and stories into your math, science, history and literature lessons.
          An old Yankee farmer taught me an ages old symbiotic practice that supposedly ensured better health for apples, sheep and humans. Orchard keepers used to spray a pesticide on the trees to fight various bugs, and shepherds dosed their sheep with another form of the same substance to battle internal parasites. Some Yankees found that by pasturing sheep in the orchards to clean up the drops, the sheep and the trees were both healthier without having to dose the sheep.   Since we began on our present farm 4 years ago, the sheep have helped us clear the land and we have discovered ancient apple trees along with blueberry bushes. We do not use that pesticide, but each year my apples have increased in size and quality as my sheep have thrived on the fruit from the June drops until late in the year. And our stewardship job is mainly protecting the trees from being chewed. What an amazing world in which we live.
          As we continue to create a new and stronger face on our granite state program of Ag in the Classroom, I would like to share some of my goals. I hope to build a network of partners throughout our state in all areas that are involved with gaining a better understanding of how we all work together to have a healthy place and happy lives. For starters I am looking for a liaison person in every elementary school and every home school group. I hope to gain an AITC coordinator in every county like Deb Robie in Grafton County (She is paid through the Grafton County Farm Bureau, but there could be other ways of doing that). I believe we can hold at least one School to Farm event in every county. We have had 4 in 2010 so far - that is almost half already! Please contact us about becoming a partner and /or organizing a School to Farm day.
          The office is being covered with temporary help until we hire a new State Coordinator. We have over 20 applications, and will be accepting more for a few days after you receive this.
          Please join us at our fundraising event at Zorvino's on November 19th and/ or contribute something for our silent auction.
          This month we are grateful to our board member Kris Mossey for our feature article. We are here to help you add some beneficial zest into your teaching, so think of us as you chomp into that next fresh tangy apple.

Jozi Best, President

P.S. Did you know...Mac is my apple. I eat an apple every day and I pine when I cannot get a mac. It used to be the greatest hardship of living and working seasons in the midwest where there were months without seeing a mac.

APPLE PICKING TIME!