Livestock – Extension Foundation

The Kids, Compost, Crops & Consumption team from North Dakota State University Extension aims to increase youth involvement in the food cycle. The target outcomes include: 1) increasing students’ knowledge about agriculture and where their food comes from, 2) increasing vegetable consumption among students and 3) teaching students how to garden as an economical option for fresh food. The project timeline was December 2015-May 2016. Each month from December thru May a new lesson was presented to 85 3rd and 4th grade urban students. In this post, we will share the last 2 lessons as well as the final review lesson. To read about the first 3 lessons see our previous blog post.

Lesson 4: Increasing Vegetable Production – Todd Weinmann, Extension Horticulture Agent/Cass County

Lesson 4 was about teaching the kids that vegetables and fruits have different appearances and grow on different parts of the plants from each other. Most of the students recognized the majority of the vegetables and fruits brought in, but not all of them. The “life cycle” of Photosynthesis was taught in addition to the Macro-nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They discussed the difference between tap versus fibrous root systems. A “game” involving movement was incorporated to help encourage exercise.

Lesson 5: Plants as Food – Nikki Johnson, Area Extension Specialist, Community Health and Nutrition

The last puzzle piece to our food cycle was put into place during our April lesson. Up to this point, our students have learned all about where their food comes from, how it grows, what it needs to grow and all that was left was nutrition. Students spent the day learning how different colors of fruits and vegetables provide us with different nutrients, such as phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. To do this, we had students break into teams and work together trying to figure out what how each color group helps to keep our body stronger.

Then we wrapped up our session by taste testing a spinach and pepper quesadilla – it was a hit!

Nikki preparing the spinach and pepper quesadillas.

Lesson 6: The Wrap-Up

Our closing class finally arrived the last week of school and we couldn’t have asked for a better day. The sun was shining, preparation was complete, our helping hands were in place, and teachers and students alike were ready for our big event. Luckily to start our session off, students fired off answers for our Kids, Crops, Compost and Consumption review questions and we were able to move onto the surprise portion of the afternoon. Our first activity was a planting demonstration using handmade garden boxes and spinach seeds. While everyone was simply happy to be outside playing in the soil.

Students getting a glimpse of the garden boxes.

Next up was a bit of Cha-Cha-ing with NDSU’s very own Thundar.

Thundar getting the kids ready for some dancing.

Then we sampled a couple of amazing spinach dishes.

And finally, we sent home each child with a garden box of their own! Year one of KCCC was a success!

The Kids, Compost, Crops & Consumption team from North Dakota State University Extension aims to increase youth involvement in the food cycle. The target outcomes include: 1) increasing students’ knowledge about agriculture and where their food comes from, 2) increasing vegetable consumption among students and 3) teaching students how to garden as an economical option for fresh food. The project timeline was December 2015-May 2016. Each month from December thru May a new lesson was presented to 85 3rd and 4th grade urban students. In this post, we will share a little about the first 3 lessons. In a later entry, we will discuss the last 2 lessons as well as the final review lesson.

Lesson 1: Livestock – Kelcey Hoffmann, Extension Agent/Cass County

In lesson one, students were introduced to everything that livestock has to offer! This lesson focused on what livestock consume, where they are raised, and what they provide to the food cycle as well as our everyday life. The students witnessed the different feedstuffs that cattle, sheep, and pigs consume along with all the by-products they provide us with! Students were amazed on what one animal provides. They were excited to see that yogurt, butter, and cheese also come from a dairy cow. By the end of the lesson, students realized that farmers and ranchers spend their days making sure to raise a safe food source, and that the grocery store is just the meeting place between the consumers and the producers!

**Students touching the different feedstuffs.**

Lesson 2: Compost – Mary Berg, Area Extension Specialist/Livestock Environmental Management

Lesson two was all about turning manure into compost. Most of the students involved had never been around livestock, much less manure! Mary had manure in a baggie and had each student had the opportunity to squeeze and smell (through the bag) cattle manure. The students also had to shake a mystery bucket (no peeking!) before talking about the process, from manure to compost. At the end the students were able to peek in the mystery bucket to see manure and straw inside. They were able to relate back that they were mixing, an important step in the production of compost.

**Students trying to determine why they were shaking the mystery bucket (turning compost).**

A compost tote was started and each student was able to contribute either a carbon or nitrogen source.

**Contents of the compost tote the students put together. The wire is part of a temperature monitoring device.**

Lesson 3: Soil – Alicia Harstad, Extension Agent/Stutsman County

Lesson three focused on the soil particles, sand, silt, and clay and how they influence soil structure. Students learned that the amount of sand, silt and clay in a soil will influence the water infiltration rate and nutrient holding capacity of that soil. The amount of nutrients and water in a soil will influence how well plants grow. Adding compost to soil can help increase the nutrient and water holding capacity while also allowing water to infiltrate through the soil to avoid waterlogged roots.

**Students observing and touching soil.**

Stay tuned for our next blog entry and the conclusion of our KCCC program!