By Julie Tomascik
Editor
This fall, young students across Texas can once again virtually visit farms and ranches right from their classrooms through Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Farm From School program.
“The unique program allows teachers and students to hear and learn directly from Texas farmers and ranchers,” said Jordan Bartels, TFB associate director of Organization Division, Educational Outreach. “Students get to see what’s happening on farms and ranches in real time, and they can ask questions about what they see.”
The program is back for its fourth semester. It is open to public, private and homeschool educators who teach kindergarten through fifth grade.
Each visit will feature a different commodity and farmer to showcase the diversity of Texas agriculture.
She also noted that agriculture can connect directly to what students are learning each day in their classrooms.
“Many students today are several generations removed from the farm, so there is a need to help students better understand where their food, fiber, fuel and other items come from and how agriculture is science, math, social studies, STEM and so much more,” Bartels said.
The unique program is popular in Texas schools. In the spring 2022 semester, nearly 600 teachers and over 10,300 students from public and private school classrooms and home school settings connected with farmers and ranchers each month through the program.
“Farm From School allows students to see what agriculture looks like across the state,” Bartels said. “Some areas grow Christmas trees, and others have peanuts or pumpkins. Other farmers showcase aquaculture, hydroponics and so much more. Agriculture in Texas is so diverse, and this program allows students to see how so many commodities are grown that they may never have the opportunity to see outside of the grocery store.”
Classrooms will connect virtually with the farmers and ranchers once a month from September through December. Student questions can be submitted via the chat function on the virtual platform during the visits.
“We encourage farmers and ranchers across the state to share this program with teachers they may know,” Bartels said. “After all, what better way to educate and engage young students about agriculture than to have them learn directly from a farmer or rancher?”
TFB will also provide TEKS-aligned lessons, activity books and other companion resource materials for the virtual farm visits.
Interested teachers can sign up on TFB’s Agriculture in the Classroom webpage at texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.
Sign up closes Aug. 29 for the fall semester.
Additional details about the program, including dates and commodities featured, will be added on the Agriculture in the Classroom webpage as they become available.
For more information, contact Bartels at edoutreach@txfb.org or call 254-751-2569.