Threshing Wheat

The top of the wheat plant is called the head. The head contains the seeds or kernels and the hairy part called the beard. The stem supports the head and is used for bedding for animals. The leaves are where the food is made for the plant to grow. The roots anchor the plant, absorb water and minerals and store food it has made through photosynthesis.

Give each student a stalk of wheat and a paper plate. Discuss the parts of the plant. Ask each student to estimate how many kernels are on their head of wheat. Ask each student to thresh their wheat head by rolling it back and forth between their hands. After the grain has been threshed out of the head, have the students separate the grain from the chaff. Ask the students to count their seeds and determine how accurate their estimations were. Have all students place their seeds in a cup. Do they have a cup of wheat? How many wehat heads does it take to make a cup of wheat? How many cups of wheat does it take to make a loaf of bread?

For an extension, place the wheat kernels in a clean pepper mill. Grind the wheat kernels to determine how many kernels are needed to make enough flour to bake a loaf of bread.

March Food Themes

National Nutrition Month

National Frozen Food Month

National Noodle Month

National Peanut Month

National Peanut Butter Lover's Day - March 1

National Frozen Food Day - March 6

National Crown Roast of Pork Day - March 7

National Potato Chip Day - March 14

American Chocolate Week - March 14-20

St. Patrick's Day - March 17

Poultry Day - March 19

National Chip and Dip Day - March 23

National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day - March 24

Pecan Day - March 25

Waffle Day - March 25

Spinach Festival - March 26

Something on a Stick Day - March 28

National Clams on the Half Shell Day - March 31

Maple Syrup Saturday - 3rd Saturday in March

February Food Themes
Happy Valentine's Day! - Chocolate
American Heart Month
Canned Food Month
National Grapefruit Month
National Potato Lover's Month
National Snack Food Month
National Sweet Potato Month
Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day - February 11
National Plum Pudding Day - February 12
National Gumdrop Day - February 15
National Chocolate Mint Day - February 19
National Pancake Week - February 21-27
National Tortilla Chip Day - February 24
National Pistachio Day - February 26

January Food Themes

Oatmeal Month
Prune Breakfast Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Soup Month
Bean Day - January 6
Hot and Spicy Food International Day - January 16
Milk Day - January 11
National Popcorn Day - January 19
National Buttercrunch Day - January 20
Cheese Day - January 20
National Blonde Brownie Day - January 22
National Pie Day - January 23
National Corn Chip Day - January 29

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.