Brooklin teacher receives 2017 AgScape Teacher Recognition Award

Sep 13, 2017

Ontario farmer and high school teacher Nicole Swain was presented with the 2017 AgScape Teacher Recognition Award today, in partnership with Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. A science teacher at Brooklin High School, Swain was recognized for teaching students about the importance of agriculture.

Swain teaches biology and environmental studies to Grades 9-12 students with the Durham District School Board. She’s also a beef and cash crop farmer with her husband Scott. “Sharing our family farm experiences with my students puts a face to the people who grow their food,” says Swain. “I love the days that my lessons are about soil health, crop protection and precision agriculture. And it’s truly an honour to receive this award.”

Outside her classroom, Swain developed the Durham Farm Connections High School Program to lead high school students through interactive, science-based agricultural topics. She encourages other science teachers to teach about agricultural sciences, and co-manages the Agriculture Specialist High Skills Major program to help students explore career opportunities and coordinate co-op placements within the agriculture industry.

“Nicole is a true ambassador for science and agriculture, and we’re so proud to recognize her work with our 2017 Teacher Recognition Award,” says AgScape Executive Director Colleen Smith. AgScape presents an annual award to an Ontario teacher to acknowledge an individual’s outstanding efforts to bring ag literacy alive in the classroom.

AgScape is a registered charitable organization providing reliable and balanced resources to Ontario schools on agriculture, food production, environmental sustainability and related topics. AgScape, formerly OAFE, was created in 1991 with the mission of building awareness and understanding of the importance of our agriculture and food system. For more information visit www.agscape.ca, follow us on Twitter @AgScapeON and like us on Facebook.com/AgScapeON

Source: AgScape

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm