Tag: pumpkins

Plenty of Pumpkins

Find a plenty of resources and hands-on activities for learning all about pumpkins!

Pumpkin Ag in a Bag

McLean County (IL) teachers can request ag mags and pumpkin activity kits for their classroom: Click here

Online Reading Materials

Ag-tivities & Reading Materials

Books to Read – set up a FREE account on www.openlibrary.org to read these online books for FREE!

Pumpkin Recipes to Try

Virtual Field Trip to Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm

Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm from Illinois Agricultural Assoc. on Vimeo.

Click here for the Q & A

More Pumpkin Videos

Virtual Field Trips

Take a trip with Illinois Ag in the Classroom this summer without leaving your house!

Virtual Field Trips will be offered every Thursday at 9 a.m. via Zoom!

Thursdays from 9:00-9:30 AM

June 4, 11, 18, 25 and July 2, 9, 16, 23, 28

Tour a dairy farm, a pumpkin farm in Utah, the Staley Museum, and more! 

Register here

June 4 – Grand Prairie Farms Virtual Field Trip – corn, popcorn & more!

IL AITC Virtual Teacher Training

Check out all that Illinois Ag in the Classroom has to offer with this line-up of virtual teacher training sessions!

McLean County teachers who complete at least one workshop will receive a FREE book & materials to implement the lessons in their classroom!!

All sessions are FREE and will be conducted via Zoom. Sessions will also be recorded & can be viewed on your own schedule.

Tuesdays from 9:00-10:00 AM

  • June 2: View From the Cab: An Overview of Illinois Ag in the Classroom
  • June 9: Legen-dairy Lessons about Milk and Moo-re
  • June 16: STEM and Leaves: Innovative STEM Lessons with an Ag Connection
  • June 24: Scrambled States of America: Ag-Themed Books for Every State (in conjunction with the National Ag in the Classroom Virtual Summit)
  • June 30: The 3-Legged Stool: Finding Classroom Connections with Ag Sustainability
  • July 7: Plowing Through Our Past: A Look at the History of Ag in Illinois
  • July 14: Don’t Be a Bad Apple: Tasty Apple-Themed Lessons That Pack a Crunch
  • July 21: Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About: Engaging Pumpkin-Themed Texts and Lessons

Special 5-hour Mini-Conference:

  • July 30: The Cultures of Agriculture: Exploring the Diversities of Food and Farming (9:00-noon and 1:00-3:00 with help from Illinois Commodity Groups)

Register Here

The Friday Five: Pumpkins!

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soybeans, landscape

Looking for the perfect pumpkin for your front step? Or maybe some mums to fill out your fall flower bed? Central Illinois has plenty to offer!

pumpkinsAfter all, when it comes to pumpkins – Illinois is the cream of the crop! Illinois farmers grow 80-85% of the world’s supply of processing pumpkins (used to make canned pumpkin puree & pie filling) and the majority of those are grown right here in the central part of the state.

Check out a few upcoming opportunities to visit the country, experience a little taste of agriculture and maybe pick up a pumpkin:

  1.  Explore local farm history with the 2015 McLean County Barn Tour Sat., Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring interesting barns, antique farm equipment and more. The self-guided tour and begins at the Chenoa United Methodist Church and is sponsored by McLean County Barn Keepers.
  2. Rader Family Farms opens this weekend (Sept. 12). Located just west of Normal (look for the pumpkin topped silo), Rader’s offers plenty of pumpkins, a corn maze, kid-friendly activities, food & special events throughout the season.
  3. Also this weekend, you can head south for the Route 10 Farm Crawl Sun., Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with activities at Mariah’s Mums & More, Timberview Alpaca Farm & Wagon Wheel Pumpkin Farm near Clinton, Illinois.
  4. For more pumpkin treats and festival fun, head to the Pumpkin Capital of the World for the Morton Pumpkin Festival Sept. 16-19, 2015. Sample the savory and the sweet with everything from pumpkin chili to pumpkin donuts & ice cream.
  5. And if apples are what you’re after, check out Country Mist Apple Farm near Heyworth, Curtis Orchard near Champaign or Tanner’s Orchard north of Peoria.

Just remember when you venture out into the country, watch out for farm equipment! Harvest is just beginning for corn & soybeans, so be alert for slow moving vehicles on the roads. Slow down, pass with caution & be safe!

What are your favorite ways to celebrate Fall?

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