Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom News 
August 2015
Teachers tour farm
Janssen Hang provides a tour of the Hmong American Farmers Association farm near Vermilion on the MAITC Summer Teacher Tour.
2015 Summer Teacher Tour a Huge Success!
42 teachers from across the state of Minnesota participated in Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom's (MAITC) second annual summer teacher tour.  This year's theme, The Many Faces of Agriculture, allowed participants to see first-hand the diversity of Minnesota Agriculture.  Thank you to our tour site hosts Minnesota Farm Bureau, Urban Organics, 11 Wells, Second Harvest Heartland, Hmong American Partnership Farm and Far Gaze Farm.  We also thank MN Department of Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson for sharing his insight on current agricultural topics and John Zimmerman from the Minnesota Turkey Growers for providing information on avian influenza.
In This Issue
Teacher Feature   Anne Jarvis
Anne Jarvis
6th grade math teacher
Northfield Middle School
Northfield, MN

Ms. Jarvis attended three agricultural focused workshops this summer: MAITC's Many Faces of Agriculture, Cultivating Geographic Connections in the Red River Valley, and The Changing Rural Landscape of Minnesota: Resorts, Farms, Gardens and Orchards.  

 

"The agricultural workshops I attended this summer were phenomenal! Each one of them highlighted the importance and relevance of agriculture in Minnesota. I can't wait to weave the knowledge I gained about aquaponics, apple farming, maple sugaring, bonanza farming and MANY other ag related topics into my classroom this year."   
Agricultural Literacy GrantsAg Literacy Grant image
The MAITC Foundation is pleased to offer Agricultural Literacy Grants for 2016. Grants ($1000 maximum) will be awarded for projects that engage students in understanding agriculture from farm to plate, and how agriculture impacts all of us within our local community, state, nation and the world.  Additional details can be found on the MAITC website.
Applications are due January 1, 2016!
Fantastic Resources
MAITC was excited to be invited to present at the 2015 Minnesota School Nutrition Association Conference this month.  The fantastic resources listed below were featured in our "Growing Nutrition Education through School Gardens and Agriculture" workshop.

University of Minnesota Extension Farm to School website  Farm to School
Explore a variety of resources for connecting food and agriculture that focus  on the three pillars of Farm to School: Procurement, Education, and School Gardens.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/food/farm-to-school/education/
Dig In!
Dig In! Standards-Based Nutrition Education from USDA
Discover opportunities to learn in the garden and on your plate using ten inquiry-based lessons that engage 5th and 6th graders in growing, harvesting, tasting, and learning about fruits and vegetables.
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
Agricultural Trivia
  
Congratulations to Ellie Kunkel for being the first person to respond with the correct answer to our July trivia question.  Ellie knew that Minnesota tops the nation in sugar beet and turkey production.  

August Trivia
The first person to email the correct answer for the question below will win a Minnesota Grown visor.
How many square feet are in one acre?

Email your answer to  Sue Knott to be eligible for the prize!