MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County participated in the 18th annual New York Agricultural Literacy Week from March 21-25, 2022 in Orange County Schools. Master Gardener volunteers and community members read “Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin to elementary classrooms, with a focus on first and second grade. This book took students on an explorative journey to learn about community gardens and inspire them to build communities through food, even if they only have a pot on their porch to cultivate. Orange County volunteers participated with 12 local schools and reached a total of 1,233 students in 60 classrooms.
In addition, some schools conducted an activity using kits provided by New York Agriculture in the Classroom. The experiment engaged students in growing seeds with and without the use of worm castings (aka “worm poop”). Students could observe for themselves the impact worms provide on the growth of seedlings and soil nutrients. The combination of story and experiment help students understand that a love for growing food and stewardship for our soil and natural resources can be found everywhere.
Cornell Cooperative Extension and its partnerships provide programs for Orange County residents on youth and family development; nutrition, health, and food safety; community and economic vitality; and agricultural sustainability through Cornell based research. Committed to Orange County, we design programs to meet local needs to enable people to improve their lives and communities. For more information call Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County at 845-344-1234 or visit our website at www.cceorangecounty.org.
–Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County