Let’s Build a Calf – a Look at Genetics
Have you ever wondered why you have black hair but your sibling has blond hair? My eyes are blue but my mom’s are brown – why is that? These same things happen with livestock. It is national beef month, so now is a perfect time to take a look at genetic traits in beef cattle with our Build-a-calf Workshop.
Read MoreJourney 2050
Journey 2050 takes middle and high school students on a virtual simulation that explores world food sustainability and answers the question above. The online program guides students through necessary instruction and allows students to make decisions on a virtual farm to witness their impact on society, the environment and the economy at a local and global scale.
Read MoreGreenhouse Challenge Update
Hi everyone! Can you believe it is already May? I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 months since I made our first blogpost! Since that time, I hope everyone took my advice and made some great memories that they can look back at and smile. I also hope you planted something, but if not – do it now!
Read MoreCelebrate Beef!
Imagine it’s snack time and you are HUNGRY! How about a nice plate of….grass? Grass does not sound delicious to us but it’s a favorite snack of cattle. Our human digestive system isn’t able to break down the cellulose found in grass, alfalfa and other plants, but cattle have a ruminant digestive system. This system uses a four-compartment stomach to break down cellulose and use it for energy that allows cattle to produce meat and milk. May is recognized as National Beef Month – a time for us to celebrate the meat that beef cattle give us!
Read MoreWhat Happens During Spring Planting?
Did you know spring planting starts long before spring? That’s right. Farmers need to spend a lot of time planning and preparing for the spring planting season. Much of the planning is done the previous fall and throughout the winter. Farmers make plans on what crop to plant, what type of seed to plant and where to plant it.
Read MoreEgg-cited to Learn About Eggs!
Have you ever cracked open an egg and explored it? Eggs are not only YUMMY breakfast items (with distance learning – we have had extra time in the morning to make LOTS of eggs!), but they are also pretty cool. I have created a fun learning experience related to eggs that you can share with your students/kids. Check out this Eggology Hyperdoc and share it with your students. It will guide students through a fun learning experience and hands-on experiment.
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It’s Calving Time!
This has been a different spring for all of us but one thing that has remained the same for my family and me is calving season. Calving time is one of my favorite times on the ranch. Seeing the new life in the baby calves is such an uplifting part of the day.
Read MoreFollow Your Food Video Series
We know many teachers had field trips to farms or other agriculture related field trips planned for the spring that probably won’t be happening this year. While a video can’t completely replicate a field experiences, we do a have great video series that we call “Follow Your Food”. This video series would be great to use as a part of a distance learning lesson. There are 4 short videos to watch that look at carrot production in Northfield, the St. Paul Farmers Market, Wozupi Tribal Gardens in Shakopee and honey production in Minneapolis.
Read MoreDo It at Home Lesson: More Than a Grain of Rice
Have you ever read the book and mathematical folktake One Grain of Rice from Demi? It’s an amazing story about a young girl who saves her village by using the simple math concept of doubling. In the process she teaches the ‘raja’ or ‘king’ a lesson about what it truly means to be wise and fair.
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