Celebrate Agriculture Day with the kids and promote healthy food choices

Tomorrow is National Agricultural Day.

If you are looking for some ideas for a fun Saturday outing with the kids, think about incorporating this special day.  Many kids don't really realize where fresh fruits and vegetables come from,  a common answer, "from the grocery store. "  Helping the kids learn more about our local farmers, farms and the how food gets to our table is a fun way for kids to learn about fruits and vegetables.

Ideas on activities to celebrate Agriculture Day with the kids.

What Is Ag Day All About?

Ag Day is about recognizing - and celebrating - the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:

• Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
• Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
• Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.

Why Celebrate Agriculture?

Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. But too few people truly understand this contribution. This is particularly the case in our schools, where students may only be exposed to agriculture if they enroll in related vocational training. By building awareness, the Agriculture Council of America is encouraging young people to consider career opportunities in agriculture. Each American farmer feeds more than 144 people ... a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Quite simply, American agriculture is doing more - and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.

Fun Facts to share with the kids:

• Onions contain a mild antibiotic that fights infections, soothes burns, tames bee stings and relieves the itch of athletes foot.
• Archeologists have found evidence that humans have enjoyed eating apples since 6500 B.C. Each of us eats more than 19 pounds of apples annually.
• Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. They have been around for more than 8,000 years.
• Americans eat about 125 pounds of potatoes a year, about half from fresh potatoes and half in processed foods.

Other resources:

Kids learning and coloring nutrition fact sheets:  vegetables and fruits

Food Group Activity sheets