Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba (AITC-MB) held its signature event this week south of Winnipeg.
About a thousand grade four and five students from Winnipeg and surrounding area took part in the Amazing Agriculture Adventure (AAA), which took place at Richardson's Kelburn Farm and at the University of Manitoba's Bruce D Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre. About 200 volunteers helped make the three-day event possible.
It was a chance for the students to learn about where their food comes from.
AITC-MB Executive Director Sue Clayton said for many, this was their first experience on a real live farm.
"Most of them have never been exposed to this," she commented. "They've never seen farm equipment. They don't know where their food comes from. They really don't understand that and a lot of Manitobans now are coming from other countries and so they eat different food and grow different crops, so this is really great for the kids to be exposed to this."
Throughout the week, students had a chance to interact with some of the province's different commodity groups, in addition to experiencing some live animals.
Clayton said that since agriculture is not part of the educational curriculum, it's important to offer events such as AAA and other resources that teachers can access.
Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler, who helped out with the cookie auction on Tuesday, said this type of experience is extremely beneficial.
"They don't just talk about the food, they talk about the business plan, some of the risks that come along with farming and I think that's really important for them to see that you just don't plant a crop and expect to get one."
The Amazing Agriculture Adventure was held in conjunction with Farm and Food Awareness Week.
Source : Steinbachonline