"Grandpa switches on the colored lights, puts up the OPEN sign, and the Christmas Tree Hut is open for business. From the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve people will come from all over to find just the right tree. But most shoppers don't know that Grandpa and his family have worked all year long planting, pruning, measuring, and tagging trees. This vibrantly illustrated book shows the entire process from seedling to decorated tree as a warm-spirited family carries on a holiday tradition." - we ordered this book for the Holidays and look forward to reading it :)
KIDS PAGE
AG EDUCATION
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Our little boys, who are 5 and 2, love for us to read to them! We think it is very important to teach them about agriculture and help them learn about where their food/fiber is grown and how it is produced. Even though we are produce farmers, there are alot of agricultural areas that we still have alot to learn from. As we read various agricultural books to our sons, we will post them on this Kids Page so that you, too, can share them with your children!
WHAT ARE OUR FARM BOYS READING TODAY?
DECEMBER:
Christmas Tree Farm
September/October/November:
The Little Pumpkin Book
This story, by Katy Bratun, is in honor of our pumpkin patch and tells the story of how a pumpkin grows, from planting the seed to making a pie. While it is not 100% accurate in its growing facts, it is a perfect starter book for teaching preschoolers how a pumpkin grows and it is quite charming (we also love the illustrations) :)
August's Selection:
This was probably my oldest son's favorite book as a toddler. And now my 2 year old loves it, too! It has great photographs of farm life and especially farm equipment....I think that my 5 year old knows his farm equipment better than I do! A simple, fun, colorful book
for little ones :) :) :)
The Little Pumpkin Book
July's Selection:
From an Amazon review: "What are peanuts - are they peas or are they nuts? Do they grow above or below ground? Who invented peanut butter? In the same spirit as his award-winning Life and Times of the Honeybee, Charles Micucci explores one of America's most favorite and enigmatic snack foods. This fascinating picture book, with its concise, detailed text and abundant illustrations, ranging from the humorous to the scientific, offers a spirited introduction to the life cycle, many uses, and historical influences of the peanut. Micucci's rare gift for making any subject engaging and accessible is again revealed in this truly witty, rich salute to the peanut" -
I liked this book alot and found it very interesting, even as an adult. Our family's row crop farm grows peanuts and we sell them (raw in the shell) at our farm store. I am hoping to start selling this book in our store soon, to teach our customers more about
the raw peanuts we sell :)
A cheerful story: "when two children help plant a garden, they learn that some vegetables grow underground,
some shoot up above it, and some grow on vines that twine around and around. A good choice for introducing how things grow." Not every child has the opportunity to dig a potato from the ground or see pumpkins growing on the vine,
so I liked that this book introduces kids to those growing facts.
And the illustration are very enjoyable :)
Written by: Katherine Ayres
May's Selection:
By: Deborah Hopkinson
best For ages PreSchool-Grade 2: "This beautifully illustrated picture book is set in a Midwestern town in 1933. Although times are hard, Mom sends young Davey to Mr. Russell's store to buy ice to make lemonade for a special Fourth of July treat. While there, he helps Miss Elsie carry a bag to her truck and learns that the kind woman is going to lose her farm to the bank. When Mr. Russell explains the idea of a penny auction, Davey keeps his coin instead of spending it on candy. On the way home, he shows it to the townspeople and encourages them to attend the auction. Later that day, he starts the bidding by yelling, One penny for Strawberry Farm! Other folks chime in, raising the amount by nickels and dimes instead of dollars, until Miss Elsie makes the final bid and is able to buy back her property."
We had to include this cute story in honor of all of the strawberry farms, from past to present :)
April's Selection:
This book "Why the Brown Bean was Blue" teaches us all, kids and adults, the many wonderful facts about soybeans! There are soooo many uses for soybeans....did you know that one acre of soybeans can produce 82,638 crayons?!
Yes! Crayons are made of soybeans!
Read this book to your kids to find out
why the brown bean was blue!
Written By: Susan M. Pankey
March's Selection:
I read this book to my son's preschool class in honor of Ag Literacy Week. The kids enjoyed the book, which taught them about the various agricultural industries found in Virginia. It tells the story in a fun, rhyming format and has colorful illustrations. You can purchase this book from the
Ag in the Classroom web site
and part of your purchase goes towards educating Va students about agriculture~
February's Selection-
The Chaney twins are growing up with their parents on a beef cattle farm in MD. This is the first book in their children's book series: "An easy to read text geared toward preschool and elementary-aged children explain all aspects of raising an orphaned beef calf. Little Star: Raising our First Calf takes readers from day one........until she is weaned at six months old." The book is a true example of the respect that farmers have for their farm animals and the good care that they give them. If you would like to order this book from the Chaney family, contact them through their web site:
http://www.rebeccalongchaney.com
Jake and Henry learned something new today:
A female cow is called a Heifer :)
