Adopt-A-Farmer School Visit
Brazoria-Galveston CFB directors adopted by third graders
Photos from the event
Two Directors from the Brazoria-Galveston CFB–Curt Mowery and David LeCompte– made an in-class visit to their "adopted" classrooms recently. Four third grade classes from Stevenson Primary in Alvin participated in the first "Adopt-a-Farmer" program started by the Brazoria-Galveston CFB.
To participate, each class registered and received a folder with a picture and profile on their “adopted” farmer. The classes were given contact information and were instructed to correspond weekly with their farmer either by phone, e-mail, field trip, letters, etc. Every week the classes were to put an entry into their folder, and at the end of the program the folders were collected to be judged by the BGCFB Board of Directors, with the winning classroom receiving a prize. This year, the BGCFB wanted to reward all four classes for participating, so they purchased a set of Ag in the Classroom curriculum, Let's Visit Texas DVDs, What's to Eat videos, Career in Agriculture CDs, TFB coloring books and pencils for each class.
The classes at Stevenson Primary came up with team names: LeCompte's Wild Horses, Guidry's Groovy Gardeners, Mrs. Looper's Rice-tastic Learners, and Rice Raiders.
Curt and David's digital pictures of their crops, equipment and more are posted on this website for teachers and students to see. Students were able to track the growth of each crop their “adopted” farmer grows. They also got to experience some of the problems farmers face through pictures of army worms, feral hog damage and black bird damage to rice plants. The classes all made “K-W-L” charts where they determined what they knew, wanted to know and what they learned about farming.
Both Curt and David received letters from these third grade students such as this:
“Dear Mr. Mowery,
My name is Tyler . I'm in 3rd grade and I'm 9. I have never been on a farm before but some day I hope I will live on one. How do you like farming? When I grow up I want to be a farmer just like you. I know that farming is hard work but I can handle it. Are you ever going to come to my school because I want to meet you.
Your frined,
Tyler ”
During the in-class visit, Curt and David brought rice plants, a corn stalk, soybeans and milo, along with a slideshow of pictures which they reviewed and discussed with all four classes at Stevenson Primary. Students were able to ask questions and discuss what farming and ranching is all about. Curt and David expressed to these students how they can play a pivotal role in keeping agriculture viable, whether or not they are farmers or ranchers themselves one day.
The “Adopt-a-Farmer” program was a hit at Stevenson Primary, and the teachers want to expand the program to the entire third grade next year. Without dedicated directors like Curt Mowery and David LeCompte, and the members of TFB state-wide, the story of agriculture would never be told.
Curt Mowery and David LeCompte visit with elementary kids
