National Ag Week – March 17-23, 2024

Georgia’s climate and rich natural resources have made agriculture its top industry throughout the state.  One in seven Georgians works in agriculture, forestry, or related fields.  Virtually any crop or animal can grow successfully somewhere across the state.  National Agriculture Week is celebrated annually in March.  This allows producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, families, and 4-H members to celebrate the agriculture industry’s abundance.

 

2024 Pecan Resources

Georgia 4-H has provided a variety of activities you can complete to learn more about agriculture!

Georgia Farm Bureau chose pecan as the commodity to highlight for the 2024 National Ag Week!  Georgia is the top-producing pecan state in the nation, and Georgia 4-H is proud to offer these resources for you to use in your educational outreach efforts:

“My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me” by Roxanne Troup was chosen by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture as the 2024 Book of the Year!  The publishing company has a teacher guide.  Georgia 4-H created this activity page to be used in conjunction with reading the story to groups of youth!

Additionally, Georgia 4-H wrote a short story about the history of pecan cultivation and included a comprehension coloring activity for youth to complete after reading the story.  Both full-color and simple-color files are available for use.

Looking for something fun to do with a group?  Consider using the Pecan Kahoot game developed by Georgia 4-H!  The activity guide contains the game link as well as answers and explanations for each question in the game.

Don’t forget you could offer a fun taste-testing activity!  Georgia 4-H has a worksheet that can complement a food-sampling activity.  As always, be sure to check about food allergies and safety before leading this exercise.

A fun pecan craft can complete your celebration!  Check out this step-by-step guide that shows how you can create pecan necklaces and bracelets!

Activities

Georgia 4-H has provided a variety of activities you can complete to learn more about agriculture!

Zoom into Science

Zoom into Science” are educational series offered by the Georgia 4-H program.  These online, 1-hour zoom sessions allow participants to learn more from experts in their field as well as being exposed to a variety of science-related careers.  Sessions are recorded for 4-H members, families, school groups, etc. to view later.

The following Zoom into Science sessions relate to agriculture and were taught by UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty and staff:

  • All about Water: July 23, 2020 – The Southwest District 4H2O Team shared all about the importance of earth’s water – from agriculture, health, and human use.  This long-standing, successful 4-H program shifted to a virtual format for the summer of 2020.  Presenters include Debra Cox, Mitchell County Extension 4-H Educator, Sylvia Davis, Baker/Mitchell County Extension FCS Agent, Brian Hayes, Mitchell County Extension ANR Agent, Cale Cloud, Southwest District Extension Water Agent, and Calvin Perry, UGA Stripling Irrigation Research Park Superintendent.
  • All about Plant Biotech: August 6, 2020 – Dr. Wayne Parrott with UGA’s Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics shared about plant GMOs and genome editing.
  • Veggie Shapes: September 17, 2020 – Dr. Ester van der Knaap with UGA’s Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics shared about how and why vegetables are the shapes that they are.
  • All About Food Safety with Manpreet Singh: October 15, 2020 – Dr. Manpreet Singh with the UGA Poultry Science department shares about food preparation and safety.

Georgia 4-H Friends Magazines

Friends are standard publications produced by Georgia 4-H to provide elementary youth information on a variety of topics.  The Farm to Fork magazine could be a helpful tool in celebrating National Agriculture Week.

 

 

For more information about becoming involved in 4-H programming, contact your local County Extension Office or call 1-800-ASK-UGA1.