Educational events on how Alabama farmers work the land and help grow food for the state will soon come to a close for the season. Farm-City Week in Alabama wraps up on Wednesday, November 29 after kicking off on Wednesday, November 22.
The goal is to deepen the understanding of the relationship between rural farmers and urban workers. It’s put on by the Alabama Farmers Federation each year around Thanksgiving.
The Farm-City Program isn’t limited to just November. Activities happen around the year and usually kick off with National Ag Day in spring. Another tradition is Alabama third graders spending time at Lawrence County’s Pizza Farm to learn about the ingredients in pizza. This year, that activity happened at the end of October.
Donna Shanklin is the County Extension Coordinator for Lawrence County. She said children were able to learn about farming and agriculture how both help to keep food on the table.
“There is always the interface between rural farms and urban living or urban work,” she explained. “The idea is that the Farm-City Week reminds us that we all work together, and one can't do without the other. The mission is to remind people of the Farm-City interaction.”
She said the central idea of kids taking part in learning at the Pizza Farm is giving them firsthand experience with farming and the activities that apply to it.
“This year, one of the stations was a composting station, where they learned about composting. Through the use of pudding cups and Oreos and gummy worms, they learned about how you make a compost pile,” she explained. “But they made it fun so that they can actually have something to eat afterwards.”
During Farm-City Week in Alabama, elementary, middle and high school students are encouraged to enter the annual poster, essay and multimedia contests. Winners will be announced at the annual Farm-City Awards Luncheon and Program.
National Farm-City Week is also being observed through November 29. People across the country are expected to celebrate farmers and ranches through educational forums, social media campaigns and local events.
