In recognition of National Agriculture week, March 18th – 23rd, The Arenac County Farm Bureau participated in “March is Reading Month” at Standish-Sterling Elementary Schools. Partners joining in this opportunity to educate our young people on the impact of agriculture were Arenac Conservation District’s Executive Director Dawn Hergott, 4-H Coordinator Missy Lefever, a local organic dairy farmer Brenda Golimbieski, Farm Bureau members Diane Morley, Promotion and Education Chair and Michigan Farm Bureau District 10 Director, Leona Daniels. The books read were award-winner selections by the American Farm Bureau Foundation. Its purpose in promoting these ag accurate books is to build awareness, understanding, and positive public perception of agriculture through education. The 5-member team read to a total of 629 students. Book titles included: I Love Strawberries, How to Grow a Monster, (zucchini), BP Hurray, (peanut butter and jam), Monster Machines, Boots, Sonya’s Chickens, Apple Orchard, and Full of Beans - Henry Ford Grows a Car. This book tells the story about how Henry Ford’s research into crops that could be used in the industrial processes. His impetus was to help the farmers find more uses for their crops, thereby helping them to become more profitable. The soybean was the most significant find in his time. We all remember his famous quote, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it’s black”. That black paint was formulated from soybean oil. So too was the soy plastic used for his vehicle horns, knobs, and distributor caps. Soybeans, a legume, are 18% oil and 38% protein. One plant grows 60 to 80 pods, with 3 to 4 beans in each pod. Typical production per acre is 55 bushels, some fields higher, some lower.
Today, in many ways, soy impacts people’s day-to -day lives. From soy tires and shoes to soy sauce, tofu and even bacon, soybeans truly touch every life every day.
Students also learned about the importance of washing their fruits and vegetables before consuming them, safety tips when visiting U-pick farms and apple orchards, 3 points of contact when climbing a ladder, precautions when around big equipment and taking care of animals. Animals need to be fed, watered, and kept warm and comfortable. Plants need good soil rich in nutrients, plenty of water and sunshine. Leona Daniels, Director of District 10 with Michigan Farm Bureau said, “As stewards of this earth, we are all responsible to keep our woods, land, and water clean and well managed. These are also the natural homes and habitat of our wildlife. We share this earth with them.”
If anyone is interested in Bee production, there is a workshop called Buzzing with Bees on April 27th at 1182 Dobler Rd., in Sterling. Registration is required. To register, call the Arenac Conservation District at 989-846-4565, ext. 5 or online at https://form.jotform.com/240184437559160.