BU-UnonW Farmlnfl, Saturday, October 14. 1995
Fourth Graders Leam About Commodities
KAREN BUTLER
Maryland Correspondent
FREDERICK, Md.—How
many kernels of com on an aver
age ear?
An estimated 800.
Know how much a bushel of
com weighs?
One bushel of com weighs 56
pounds—about as much as a
fourth grade student
How much water is needed to
grow com?
It takes 25 gallons of water to
grow just one ear of com!
What is most of the com we
grow used fpr?
The number one use for com is
livestock feed.
Frederick and Hagerstown
fourth graders learned the answers
to these questions and other fasci
nating facts recently during their
field day at the Agricultural
Experiment Station’s Western
Maryland Research and Education
Center (WMREC).
“Kids Growing With Grains,”
the award-winning program estab
lished by the Cooperative Exten
sion Service and WMREC, hosted
200 students from Frederick city
and Hagerstown at the research
farm. Bester, Winter Street, South
Frederick, and Waverly Elemen
tary Schools participated in this
year’s program. The students
come from urban areas where
their exposure to agriculture is
often very limited; many have
never seen a pig or sheep or calf.
They were there to learn about
grain production and consump
tion, and how important agricul
ture is in their lives.
In 1994, “Kids Growing With
Grains” won a national award
from Monsanto. The National
Association of Home Economics
recognized the program for its
innovation in dealing with food
quality and safety. And it will be
presented at the Ag in the class
room national meeting in Dallas in
October. Project coordinators
have also been invited to present
the program to Congress members
and their staff in McLean, Va. The
program was developed by the
College of Agriculture; by Maxine
Casey, Cassandra Corridon, Mary
Ellen Waltemire, Kay Derr, Kristi
Wolfensberger, and Don Schwartz
explains what a disc does using a scale replica. The chil
dren were introduced to Best Management Practices
implemented on the research farm, where more than 300
acres of field crops are grown.
of the Cooperative Extension Ser
vice; and by the Agricultural
Experiment Station’s Francis
“Frank” Allnutt. A grant from
Maryland Grain Producer’s Utili
zation Board helped establish the
program. Farm Bureaus from Fre
derick and Washington counties
pay for the busses that transport
the children, and the Washington
County Farm Bureau Women’s
Committee actively helps out with
the lunches for the day.
Hands-on learning stations at
the Held day gave the youngsters
an opportunity to experience agri
culture up close, in a fun and
friendly way. -The children and
their chaperons, divided into
groups of 50, rotated through
grain planting, animal consump
tion, human nutrition, and unusual
uses of grain centers. Activities
ranged from cooking to the intro
duction of farm animals in pens.
At the planting station. Agricul
tural Experiment Station’s Frank
Allnutt explained planting and
growing grain crops. Wagon loads
of fourth graders toured die rolling
farm fields, getting an introduc
tion to Best Management Prac
tices. Barley, com, wheat, oats,
and soybeans are grown on the
more than 300 .teres devoted to
field crops on the research farm.
The groups then had an opportuni
ty to leam the functions and costs
of various pieces of equipment
using scale replicas. “It is a real
eye opener for the children, they
never imagined how much money
is involved in farming,” said
Allnutt
Non-food and unusual uses of
grains were highlighted in another
station. Crayons, ink and paper,
paint paste, and diapers are just a
few of the products produced
using com crops, the youngsters
learned. Here they saw how biode
gradable bags made from com
starch could help the environment
by decomposing 20 times faster
than plastic bags. They learned
about ethanol, an alcohol made
from com, which reduces carbon
monoxide pollution in the air.
They could also sample grits and
make popcorn balls under the
supervision of county home
economists.
The nutrition station stressed
Washington County Ag Agent Don Schwartz, left, talks to graders about
livestock production. Shown with Schwartz are 13-year-old Jesse Rohrer of Washing
ton County 4-H Sheep and Lamb Club; and Bill Poffenberger, a local farmer.
the importance of grains in our
diet. Students could help make
whole wheat pancakes, and could
create trail mix using cereal made
from the same kinds of grains
grown on the farm. Home eco
nomists explained how eating
whole grains is an excellent way
to increase the complex carbohy
drates in their daily diets.
Washington County 4-H club
members were on hand to do some
teaching at the animal consump
tion exhibit. Katie Herbst, a
13-year-old member of the Ring
gold Dairy club, brought a hols
tein heifers to the field day. Katie
explained to the city dwellers how
grain is converted into milk. A
lamb belonging to 13-year-old
Jesse Rohrer of the Washington
County Lamb and Sheep club, and
some piglets were included in the
sample group of farm animals.
Also helping with the animals was
12-year-old Ashleigh Reeder, of
the Benevola 4-H club.
Sharpsburg fanner Bill Poffen
berger brought a 850-pound hero
ford heifer Irom his beef herd to
round out the livestock tent. The
4th graders were given a basic
understanding of what is involved
in milk and meat production on
the farm.
“If they leave here with the
assumption it takes a lot of effort,
then it’s worth it,” said Washing
ton County Ag Agent Don
Schwartz, “The childrens’ concept
of what is involved in production
is often extremely limited,
fhey’ve been removed from the
farm so long, even their parents
and grandparents may not know
what’s involved.”
After a bag lunch, with milk
donated by MD-VA Cooperative,
and help provided by the
Washington County Farm Bureau
Women’s Committee, the nine
year olds went to a display of
commodity bins. Here they could
create a decorative jar filled with
the different grains grown on the
farm to take home. These jars
were taken home as a reminder of
their day on the farm, for the
children to share with their fami
lies. Buried up to their elbows in
the grains, it was clear the city
youth were enjoying “Kids Grow
ing With Grains.”
Trail Mix
2 cups com cereal*
2 cups wheat cereal
2 cups oat cereal
1 cup pretzels
'A cup raisins
Fourth graders from Mrs. Malln’s class are up to their
elbows In commodities. Enjoying the grain field-day activi
ties are, from foreground back: Michael Starner, Ronnie
Lathey, Travis Robinson, and Michael Williams.
Mix cereals ana pretzels in pan
and bake for 45 minutes at 250°F,
stirring every 15 minutes. Code;
store in airtight container.
"Flavoring for cereal can be
added before baking. Mix 3
tablespoons melted margarine, 2
teaspoons season salt and 3 teas
poons Worcestershire Sauce. Pour
over one kind of cereal and mix
well.
Pancakes
1 egg
I'A cup milk
1 A teaspoon baking soda
I'A cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soft shortening
1 teaspoon baking powder
'A teaspoon salt (optional)
Beat ingredients together until
smooth. For healthier pancakes,
whole wheat flour can be used
instead of regular flour.
For extra convenience, use pre-
pared pancake mix and add 1 cup
whole wheat flour to batter. Fruits
such as apples and blueberries can
be added for variety as well.
Pizza Flavor Mix
'A cup Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons dry spaghetH -auce
mix
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
8 cups Kellogg’s Crispix cereal
4 cups pretzel nuggets
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Combine Parmesan cheese,
spaghetti sauce mix, and spices.
Set aside.
In a 2 gallon storage bag, com
bine Kellogg’s Crispix cereal and
pretzel nuggets. Pour oil over
cereal mixture, tossing gently to
coat. Add Parmesan cheese mix
ture to bag, tossing gently until
cereal mixture is thoroughly
coated. Store in airtight container.
YIELD: 12 cups