This summer, join Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom for a teacher tour! At this one-day professional development experience, you will explore agricultural production, food systems, and community partnerships. Teachers who attend will receive 8 CEUs. Join us to learn how you can bring agriculture into your classroom!
Spots are limited, click here to register!
What is a Teacher Tour?
Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) offers unique professional development opportunities known as Summer Teacher Tours. Through observation and experience, K-12 educators learn about the agricultural industry while exploring themed, standards-based lesson plans and resources. Collaborate with fellow educators and converse with agriculture industry professionals to reflect on how you can integrate agriculture into your classroom to enhance student learning.
About the Tour
Our tour takes place in Little Falls, MN on July 15th, featuring stops at Sprout MN Food Hub and Smude’s Sunflower and Angus farm. Explore the beauty of Central Minnesota and learn from the farmers who provide locally-produced goods to our communities and schools. Build an understanding of how agriculture, food systems, and community work together to fill our tables with nourishing food and provide us with shared experiences.
During the tour, you’ll learn how Black Angus beef is raised and how sunflowers are grown and pressed to make oil. The tour will help you to build an understanding of how Community Supported Agriculture and Farm to School partnerships connect farms to students. You’ll get to participate in hands-on activities with fellow educators, and share a delicious meal featuring local foods for lunch.
Sprout MN Food Hub
Sprout MN aims to connect community members with fresh, locally-grown foods through their Food Hub and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes. These boxes feature seasonal produce and a rotating selection of farm products that are sourced from small, regional growers. Their program supports local farmers, increases access to nutritious foods, and strengthens Central Minnesota’s local food economy.
Smude Farms
Tom and Jenni Smude have been raising Black Angus beef cattle since 1998. In 2009, they began planting sunflowers, which are a drought tolerant crop. One year later, they began pressing sunflower seeds for oil and used the byproduct sunflower meal as a high-quality source of protein and fat for their cattle. The Smude family are active members of their community and local economy who aim to build positive relationships with customers and deliver great-tasting beef.
Registration Details
Registration for the tour is open now! Click here to register.
We can’t wait for you to enjoy this professional development and learning opportunity with us on July 15th, 2026!
