Check out what is going on at NHAITC!
A Sweet Classroom Competition - win $2,000!

The New Hampshire Maple Producers have   red esigned their annual Felker Award to include classroom maple production.  The goal is to have your students produce a quart of maple syrup and learn about the science, math, social studies and language arts involved in the process. If you want to  be in the running for a $2,000 prize , just follow some simple steps:
1.  complete and submit application by 2/1/17
2.  with the help of an assigned mentor, collect roughly 10 gallons of sap and boil it down to syrup
3.  submit the syrup to the NH Maple Producers by 4/16/17 to be judged at their annual summer meeting

No need to worry, the NH Maple Producers will provide a mentor to help you along the way and possibly loan you the materials as well! NH Agriculture in the Classroom is working on curriculum which focuses on the core academic areas involved in producing maple syrup. Educational materials will be available by the start of the maple sugaring season.

More Information:    rules        application       basic sugaring steps

Check out the WMUR broadcast on the Felker challenge!   click here
Prepare for the Felker Award - Learn About Maple Sugaring

Join the N H Maple Producers at the Farm & Forest Expo on Saturday February  17th at 9:30 am  for a free maple production workshop.  Topics wi ll include maple tree identification, sap collection, evaporation, filtering, bottling and the Felker Award.  Email for more information
 
2017 Annual Agricultural Literacy Program

This year's book for the annual Agricultural Literacy Program is "Corn" by Gail Gibbons.  This delightfully illustrated book shares information on the history, the production and the uses of corn.  The Educator Resource Guide features related  activities and lessons, a letter from the author, notes from the UNH contributor, plus an introduction to GMOs.  We invite you to purchase the book and guide for $6 so that you can share the set with a local classroom.  They can be picked up at the Farm Bureau in Concord or mailed for an additional $2.50 per set.  They will also be available at the Farm & Forest Expo February 17 & 18th in Manchester!
School Garden Workshops at the NOFA NH Conference

Take your school garden to the next level with the information you tak e away from a day full of workshops offered at the NOFA Winter Conf eren ce  on January 31st in Concord. School Gardens 101, Curriculum Connections and Hydroponics are just a few of the topics.  Click here for more information.
STEM Inquiry Connections to Food Systems Education

UNH Cooperative Extension will be presenting a free workshop at the Farm & Forest Expo on Saturday February  17th at 9:30 am.  In the STEM Inquiry Connections to Food Systems workshop, presenters will cover topics related to Food Systems with particular attention to how food systems can contribute to a healthy community throughout interrelated components, actions and results.  Interwoven will be how to address a Food Systems curriculum into your classroom or program with an emphasis on Inquiry Teaching and Next Generation Science Standards and Science Practices.  This workshop is designed for K-12 school teachers, Master Gardeners and others currently working with or hoping to become involved in school and youth gardening. 
Explore if "Space Seeds" Germinate

Tomatosphereâ„¢ uses the excitement of space exploration to teach the skills and processes of scientific experimentation and inquiry. Students investigate the effects of the space environment on the growth of food that will inevitably support long-term human space travel. This  curriculum-based program for schools involv es students in a germination experiment with sets of tom ato seeds - one is a control and one has spent time in space.  Teachers register for the project and receive roughly 30 seeds for each class registered. This is free for classroom teachers! For more information visit their website:  https://www.firsttheseedfoundation.org/tomatosphere
CLASSROOM CONNECTION                NHAITC OUT & ABOUT

Journey 2050 takes students on a virtual simulation that explores world food sustainability. Using an inquiry based approach the program encourages students to make decisions and adjust them as they see their impact on society, the environment and the economy at a local and global scale.  Targeted for grades 7-12.

Learn, Garden & Reflect with Cornell Garden Based Learning:   Locate garden-based activities appropriate for a single afternoon, a six-week project, or that can be incorporated into another program.  Most of these activities are designed to target ages 6 to 14 and can be easily adapted for other ages.

NH Harvest of the Month is a farm-to-school campaign that provides ready to go materials for the classroom, cafeteria, and community that promotes the use of local, seasonal foods.  January explores parsnips!

Farm & Forest Expo
February 17th and 18th
Radisson Hotel    Manchester, NH

Sullivan County School to Farm Day
May 5, 2017       4th grade
Sullivan County Farm in Unity
register here

Merrimack County School to Farm 
May 11, 2017     4th grade 
Carter Hill Orchard in Concord
register here

Grafton/Coos County School to Farm 
May 24, 2017     4th grade
new event at The Rocks Estate in Bethlehem!         register  here

National Agriculture in the Classroom National Conference
June 20-23, 2016
Kansas City, MO

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Lowes Toolbox for Education Grant offers $2,000 to $5,000 to schools for school enhancement, indoors or out.  Create a school garden or a hydroponic system! 
Application deadline is 2/9/17.

Captain Planet Foundation Grant  - apply by January 31st for a hands-on environmental stewardship school or classroom project.
Connect with us to find the latest news and resources :

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Debbi Cox,  State Coordinator            nhaitc@nhfarmbureau.org         (603) 224-1934  
Deb Robie, Grafton County Coordinator             wehunt4@myfairpoint.net 
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