Fall 2009 Bureau County Ag in the Classroom update
It does not seem possible that October is here! This time of year brings many ag-related subjects to mind. First, I think about apples, apple orchards, apple cider and of course apple pie. Did you realize apples were brought to the United States in 1620 with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower? The Native Americans taught the early settlers how to grow corn and vegetables; the settlers taught the Native Americans how to grow apples with apple tree seeds, seedlings, and small trees.
There are about 7,500 different varieties of apples in the world. Apples contain many vitamins such as A, C, B6, B12 along with thiamine and niacin. They are also rich with pectin, which can help reduce cholesterol. Apples contain as much fiber as a whole bowl of most popular cereals and are good for diabetics. The soluble fiber in apples works to regulate blood sugar and prevent its sudden fluctuation. Many of you may not even know that Illinois now even has a state fruit; and that fruit just happens to be the GoldRush Apple.
I also see lots and lots of pumpkins this time of year. One of the reasons you see many pumpkins in Illinois is because we are the No. 1 pumpkin producing state. Morton is the pumpkin capital of the world because most of the world’s pumpkins are taken to Morton to be processed. Pumpkins are good for your body. The filling is rich in vitamin A and potassium.
The seeds are full of protein and iron. Early American settlers used to make pumpkin pie inside of the pumpkin shell. They sliced off the pumpkins top and removed the seeds. Then they would fill the shell with milk, spices, and honey. Finally, they would put the top back on and put the whole pumpkin in the fire place in the ashes to cook. We have much easier ways of making pumpkin pie today!
In fact, here is a very easy and fun way to make pumpkin pie. I make pumpkin pie in a bag with many students each year. Here is how to make this wonderful treat.
What you need to have:
• Gallon Ziploc freezer bag
• 2 2/3 cups cold milk
• 2 packages (4 serving size) instant vanilla or French vanilla pudding mix
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Graham cracker crumbs
• 25 small cups (or you can use a graham cracker pie shell)
• Scissors
• 1 can whipped topping
- 25 spoons
What you need to do:
1. Combine the milk and instant pudding in the Ziploc bag.
2. Remove the air and Ziploc shut.
3. Squeeze and kneed with hands until blended for 1 minute.
4. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger.
5. Remove the air and Ziploc shut.
6. Squeeze and kneed with hands until blended for 2 minutes.
7. Place 1/2 tablespoon of graham crackers crumbs in the bottom of small cups (or if you are using pie shell skip this part).
8. Cut corner of freezer bag and squeeze pie into cups or pie shell.
9. Garnish with whipped topping.
10. Add a spoon. Eat up! You can also place in refrigerator and eat later in pie form.
Bureau County Ag in the Classroom is gearing up to start the fall presentations in the county’s fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade classes. This year’s presentation for fourth grade will be the Super Soybean. Recently the U.S. Soybean Board has used some of the soybean check off money to develop a great new program for youth called the Bean Team. We will be using some of the materials out of the new lesson for my presentation, and each classroom teacher will receive a Bean Team packet they can use for further study of soybeans with their classroom. We will also be making the all time favorite beanie babies that the children can germinate and take home and plant and grow this winter. Fifth grade will be learning about the Amazing Pig along with the new lessons Producers, Pigs, and Pork that the pork check off money has been used to develop. Each of the classroom’s fifth-grade teachers will also receive some of the new pork lessons. Finally the sixth grade will be learning about BioFuels. Students will learn how corn goes through the ethanol making process and will find out through hands on lessons what each step looks like as it travels through the ethanol plant.
All information in this article is from the Illinois Ag Mags. If you have questions about our program or would like to obtain any of the materials please feel free to call the Bureau County Farm Bureau at (815) 875-6468 or e-mail McKinley directly at bureaucoaitc@yahoo.com/.
McKinley Rogers is the Bureau County Ag Literacy coordinator for the Bureau County Farm Bureau.
