Students Celebrate Agriculture Literacy Week

Farmers are heading back to class to help elementary school students learn about agriculture in Nova Scotia during Agricultural Literacy Week, May 2-6.

More than 80 volunteers will visit grade 2 and 3 classrooms across the province to read books on a variety of agriculture themes and talk to students about the industry. The books, with suggested activities to help the teachers and students explore the science and culture of farming, will stay in the classroom.

"Students need to understand the significant role agriculture plays in our province's economy and appreciate the wide variety of employment opportunities that exist in this industry," said John MacDonell, Minister of Agriculture. "Agricultural Literacy Week makes farming more real to our students as they meet and talk to farmers and others who are connected to the industry."

Mr. MacDonell will visit Maple Ridge Elementary School in Lantz, Hants Co., on Monday, May 2, to read from Wild Ones: The Tough Little Delicious Lowbush Blueberry, a book about blueberry production in eastern North America. Wild blueberries are native to Nova Scotia and the top fruit crop in export sales. It won official distinction as the provincial berry in 1995.

The Wild Ones book is also shortlisted for the Hackmatack prize for 2011-12 in the English non-fiction category.

"Agricultural Literacy Week brings Nova Scotia farmers right into the classroom so that students can learn more about life on the farm," said Rick Hoeg, agricultural education liaison. "Teachers say students love to see something from the farm. A farm tool that kids might not recognize provides a good way to get questions going."

The discussion that follows the reading offer opportunities to bridge the gap between food and local agriculture.

"Every year, Agricultural Literacy Week provides the farm community with a great opportunity to focus on agriculture with teachers and students," said Beth Densmore, president of Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture. "Sharing stories with students about how food is grown and where food comes from is an important lesson for us all."

Agricultural Literacy Day is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and the Nova Scotia Agricultural Awareness committee.