December Food Themes

Eat a Red Apple Day - December 1
National Pie Day - December 1
National Fritters Day - December 2
National Torte Day - December 5
National Gazpacho Day - December 6
National Cotton Candy Day - December 7
National Pastry Day - December 9
National Noodle-Ring Day - December 11
Ice Cream and Violins Day - December 13
National Bouillabaisse Day - December 14
National Lemon Cupcake Day - December 15
National Chocolate Covered Anything Day - December 16
National Maple Syrup Day - December 17
National Roast Suckling Pick Day - December 18
Oatmeal Muffin Day - December 19
National Hamburger Day - December 21
National French Fried Shrimp Day - December 21
National Date-Nut Bread Day - December 22
National Egg Nog Day - December 24
National Pumpkin Pie Day - December 25
National Fruitcake Day - December 27
National Chocolate Day - December 28
National Bicarbonate of Soda Day - December 30

Christmas Tree Facts

• There are approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees sold in the U.S. every year.
• There are close to 350 million Real Christmas Trees currently growing on Christmas Tree farms in the U.S. alone, all planted by farmers.
• North American Real Christmas Trees are grown in all 50 states and Canada. Eighty percent of artificial trees worldwide are manufactured in China, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
• Real Trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and possible metal toxins such as lead.
• There are more than 4,000 local Christmas Tree recycling programs throughout the United States.
• For every Real Christmas Tree harvested, 1 to 3 seedlings are planted the following spring.
• There are about 350,000 acres in production for growing Christmas Trees in the U.S.; much of it preserving green space.
• There are close to 15,000 farms growing Christmas Trees in the U.S., and over 100,000 people are employed full or part-time in the industry.
• It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of typical height (6-7 feet) or as little as 4 years, but the average growing time is 7 years.
• The top Christmas Tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington.
• The most common Christmas Tree species are: balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virgina pine and white pine.

For more information on Christmas Trees, please see the National Christmas Tree Association site at www.christmastree.org.

Oral History of Illinois Website Launched

Anyone with a computer can now see and hear the history of Illinois agriculture told by the people who lived it. Today, during a news conference, the Illinois State Museum launched the Audio-Video Barn website (http://avbarn.museum.state.il.us), featuring 300 hours of interviews with more than 130 people involved with agriculture in Illinois over the past 129 years. The website is the culmination of a two-year Oral History of Illinois Agriculture project led by the Illinois State Museum and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

November is...

Monthly Events
Child Safety and Protection Month
Good Nutrition Month
Hunger Awareness Month
National American Indian Heritage Month
National Diabetes Awareness Month
Peanut Butter Lover's Month
National Georgia Pecan Month
National Family Literacy Month

Weekly Events
National Chemistry Week (week one)
Kids Goals Education Week (week one)
National Farm Week (week two)
American Education Week (week two)
National Children's Book Week (week two)

Daily Events
1 - Thomas Edison Patented the Electric Light Bulb (1879)
2 - National Deviled Egg Day
3 - Sandwich Day
4 - First Wagon Train reached California
4 - National Candy Day
5 - National Donut Day
17 - Homemade Bread Day
17 - National Farm Joke Day
19 - Gettysburg Address delivered (1863)
23 - National Cashew Day
26 - National Cake Day

October is...

National Apple Month
National Applejack Month
National Cranberry Month
National Dessert Month
National Pasta Month
National Pickled Pepper Month
National Popcorn Popping Month
National Pork Month
National Pretzel Month
National Seafood Month
Vegetarian Awareness Month
World Vegetarian Day - October 1
National Frappe Day - October 7
Moldy Cheese Day - October 9
National Angel Food Cake Day - October 10
National Peanut Festival - October 13
National Dessert Day - October 14
National Nut Day - October 22
National Bologna Day - October 24
National Chocolate Day - October 28
National Candy Corn Day - October 30

The Pumpkin Charm

Illinois is the home of the PUMPKIN! Illinois farmers grow more pumpkins than anywhere else in the world. Most of the pumpkin processing occurs in Morton, IL, which is known as the "Pumpkin Capital of the World." Explore how pumpkins grow with this pumpkin charm.

• Start off with a small, jewelry-sized zip-top bag. Put the following items inside the bag:


• Pinch of sand: pumpkins grow best in sandy soil


• Pumpkin seed: you can eat a pumpkin seed or plant it


• Flower: pumpkins grow on a vine, but through pollination they start by growing inside the flower


• Insects: insects like bees help pass pollen from one pumpking flower to another


• Blue bead: pumpkins are 90% water and need water to grow


• Green bead: a tiny green pumpking starts to grow at the base of the flower


• Yellow bead: sunlight changes the pumpkin from green to yellow


• Pumpkin: sunlight changes the pumpkin from yellow to orange


• Orange crinkle paper: pumpkins contain pulp and seeds


• Finally, punch a hole above the seal. Then, loop a string or yarn through the hole and tie it off. Now, you have a pumpkin charm to wear around your neck. Be sure to share everything you know about PUMPKINS!

Books to read with this project:

• Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell


• Pumpkins by Jacqueline Farmer


• Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson


• Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White

Edible Garden Grade Levels

The Edible Garden

Supplies:
1. Plastic container or paper plate to contain the garden

2. One large bag of natural agricultural foods including such items as

• Brown or white rice, yellow or white cornmeal, popcorn for the base
• A variety of nuts
• A variety of beans
• A variety of dried fruits
• A variety of popcorn

3. A smaller bag containing a variety of processed foods including such items as

• Salted pretzel sticks
• Marshmallows
• Candy
• Cereal
• Dried Pasta

Directions:
1. Pass out a container or paper plate along with the large and small bags filled with food

2. Place the contents of the first bag containing natural agricultural products in the plastic container or on the paper plate.

3. Discuss the meaning of a dry landscape, or zen garden, using photos from the internet or books.

4. Arrange the items from the first bag in a pleasing arrangement as one would for a dry landscape garden. Use the pretzel sticks as a rake to create lines in the rice or corn meal.

5. Discuss how the foods were grown (climate, country, state, above or below the ground, planting and harvesting), compare and contrast the nutritional value of the foods in terms of vitamins and minerals, and determine the amount of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

6. Add the contents of the second bag to the garden. Discuss how processed foods contain additional ingredients such as sweeteners and sodium.

7. Use The Nutribase Complete Book of Food Counts to create a lesson for students based on grade level using items from this edible garden and seasonal fresh produce. See second handout for subject and suggested lesson plan ideas for primary, intermediate, and secondary grade levels.

September Monthly Food Theme Ideas

September is:
All American Breakfast Month
Better Breakfast Month
National Chicken Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National Food Safety Month
National Honey Month
National Papaya Month
National Rice Month
National Date-Nut Breat Day (September 8)
National Chocolate Milkshake Day (September 12)
National Cream Filled Donut Day (September 14)
National Apple Dumpling Day (September 17)
National Butterscotch Pudding Day (September 19)
International Banana Festival (September 21)
National Pancake Day (September 26)

ISATs: 10 Minutes a Day the Ag In The Classroom way!

In an effort to incorporate a more holistic educational approach and help prepare students for the ISAT test, Illinois Ag In The Classroom has developed new activities for use in the 4th grade classroom. (6th grade activities are coming soon.)

The goal is to give teachers 20 weeks worth of review materials to use to prepare for ISAT testing. The activities are intended to take no more than 10 minutes a day and to use Ag Mags as a resource. Ag Mags are available from the Vermilion County Farm Bureau or online at: www.agintheclassroom.org

The intended format for each week is as follows:
Monday: Introduce the Ag Mag - have students read and use pre-reading strategies
Tuesday: Vocabulary Activity related to the Ag Mag
Wednesday: Math Activity related to the Ag Mag
Thursday: Reading Passage and questions related to the Ag Mag
Friday: Extended Response question related to the Ag Mag

There are 20 Ag Mags in print and/or online for use for the 20 weeks. Visit the Illinois Ag In The Classroom website to download the ISAT materials. www.agintheclassroom.org

Illinois Ag In The Classroom

Check out all the great classroom resources at http://www.agintheclassroom.org/.

Vermilion County Farm Bureau Foundation

You can help future generations learn the importance of agriculture through your generous tax-deductible donation to the Vermilion County Farm Bureau Foundation. Your dollars will impact Vermilion County school children. To learn more, contact:

Vermilion County Farm Bureau

1905-C US Route 150

Danville, IL 61832

(217) 442-8713

National Ag In The Classroom Conference

Meet Me In St. Louis
June 24-27, 2009
We had terrific traveling workshops and St. Louis themed dinners. The conference was a great place to network with other involved in education and agriculture. This conference provided lots of great learning experiences and information to expand the Ag In The Classroom program in our schools and communities.

Don't miss the conference next year in Baltimore, Maryland from June 24-26, 2010.

Conference proposals are due October 1, 2009. Contact Jeanne Mueller at jmueller@maefonline.com

Teacher Open House

All Vermilion County Educators are invited to attend the Ag In The Classroom Teacher Open House on Wednesday, September 2nd from 4-7 pm and September 3rd from 4-5 pm at the Vermilion County Farm Bureau located at the corner of Henning Road and Route 150, west of Danville. Bring your calendars to sign-up for classroom presentations.