THE ISSUE: Children in summertime; OUR
OPINION: S.C. promotes eating right as young people learn about
agribusiness
Families and friends will be grilling and
enjoying summer activities outdoors this July 4th week. Right about now, most
parents are probably looking for activities for the kids. Eating right and
keeping their minds and bodies active are keys to good health.
South Carolina agriculture has a message: The
eating part is easy.
S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh
Weathers of Bowman says, “It’s peak season for fresh produce and a great time
to keep fruit and veggie snacks handy. South Carolina-grown watermelons,
peaches, sweet corn and other fruits and vegetables are abundantly available
especially around 4th of July week. What could be more patriotic than a foot-long
wedge of ice cold watermelon or a sweet juicy peach?”
Exercise is just as important as eating
right. Swimming, biking, and just playing in the back yard keep kids physically
active. But to keep minds sharp while teaching about agriculture, there is a
new program that the South Carolina State Fair has introduced called “From
Field to Fair.”
The program is designed to educate, entertain
and motivate consumers, “feeds hungry young minds (and us older ones) about the
wonders – and the profound importance – of agriculture in South Carolina,”
Weathers said.
The State Fair website (scstatefair.org)
features “My American Farm,” an interactive experience of 16 games with names
such as “Harvest This!,” “Amazing Grains,” and “That’s Life, Let’s Grow”
specifically designed for Pre-K through fifth grade.
The participants will be awarded a stamp
after playing each game to be placed in their personal My American Farm
“Passport to Sustainability.” (Both passport and stamps can be downloaded from
the game site.) Similar to using passports to visit other countries, this
passport will help keep track of their journey through the “From Field to Fair”
program. By the end of the games, participants will know all about how corn
comes from the field and how it could end up in a corndog at the fair.
Every child who completes the series of
challenges will be recognized as an official “Ambassador of Agriculture” and
will be eligible to have a commemorative photo taken with his or her own blue
ribbon in the S.C. Department of Agriculture’s exhibit in the Cantey building
at the 2012 South Carolina State Fair in October.
The “From Field to Fair” program grew out of
real fears about the future of farming in America. Farm families make up less
than 2 percent of the population and the number of young people entering
farming as a career has declined steadily. To that point, the program increases
children’s interest in farming and teaches them where their food originates,
hopefully encouraging them to support agriculture, directly or indirectly, when
they grow up. In fact, better educated young people equate to better educated
consumers, who as adults make better choices based on facts.
Being educated also means understanding the
relevance of agriculture to the Palmetto State. The agribusiness industry is
responsible for nearly 200,000 jobs with an estimated impact of $34 billion.
Staying true to its roots in agriculture and
education, the State Fair created the “From Field to Fair” program to continue
and expand its tradition of promoting South Carolina agriculture. It brings
together ag-related resources around the state, and educational tools from the
American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.
So get ‘em going. Activate your children’s
and grandchildren’s minds and bodies. Point them to “From Field to Fair”
throughout the summer.
From milk to ice cream
June was National Dairy Month, but the end of
the month doesn’t end the celebration of all things dairy. Eating ice cream and
frozen yogurt is a great way to celebrate National Ice Cream Month in July
during hot summer days.
The National Dairy Month celebration actually
began in 1937 as National Milk Month, a way to encourage Americans to include
milk as part of their daily diet. A few years later, the event was renamed
National Dairy Month, incorporating other dairy products into the celebration.
The dairy celebration now continues in July.
Copyright
2012 The Times and Democrat. All rights reserved.
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