Showing posts with label gardening with kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening with kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening with kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening with kids. Show all posts

What is FFA? Future Farmers of America_ Get Involved

Get Involved with National FFA


This is a sponsored post for Mom it Forward. All opinions are my own.

What is FFA? Growing up in the Midwest, I was very familiar with the corduroy navy blue FFA jackets. Not a lot of kids at my school wore them, but attend an event at a rural school and everyone seemed to have one. What did they mean? How was I not a member of this elite club? I felt left out. Flash forward thirty years later, and head to downtown Indianapolis during the National FFA convention and you'll wonder what you're missing too!



What is FFA? Future Farmers of America_ Get Involved
FFA Jacket from FFA.org


Every fall, the Indiana Convention Center is filled to the brim with navy jacket wearing youth from all over the country. So, what is FFA? FFA stands for Future Farmers of America. You might already know that, but do you know what they do?

The letters “FFA”  are a part of their heritage that will never change. But FFA is not just for students who want to be production farmers; FFA also welcomes members who aspire to careers as teachers, doctors, scientists, business owners and more. For this reason, the name of the organization was updated in 1988 after a vote of national convention delegates to reflect the growing diversity and new opportunities in the industry of agriculture.


Midwest Agriculture


The National FFA Organization remains committed to the individual student, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. National FFA Convention is held at the Indiana Convention Center.

Farmland, a leading brand of bacon, sausage, and ham, is proud to partner with the National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, to support the future of agriculture by donating $0.10 to FFA for every Farmland item purchased now through September 30, 2017, up to $75,000.



Get Involved with National FFA



These donations will help FFA continue to further its mission of making a positive difference in the lives of students and shine a light on the agricultural industry.





In addition to the donation, Farmland will provide grants to select Midwestern FFA chapters later this year, providing financial support to high school students working on animal care projects.

Participating Farmland products include everything from Farmland bacon and breakfast sausage to boneless ham and lunch meats.

FarmlandFoods.com, Facebook.com/FarmlandFoods or @FarmlandFoods on Twitter.

Support the Future Farmers of America by going to Kroger and
purchasing Farmland products now through Sept. 30, 2017.


With every Farmland item purchased now through September 30, Farmland will donate $0.10 to FFA, up to $75,000.

Since 1959, Farmland has been passionate about making high-quality foods, working alongside American farm families to offer the best quality products such as bacon, ham, and sausage. So, it makes sense that they support FFA.

More than 50 years later, Farmland’s unsurpassed passion and pride are stronger than ever, serving retail and foodservice customers across the United States. Farmland’s great tasting products – bacon, sausage, specialty cut ham, and more – are tender, flavorful, and made with quality ingredients. All Farmland products are products of the USA and are free of hormones and MSG.

For more product information or recipe inspiration, visit FarmlandFoods.

As hobby farmers, my kids have been active members of 4H and now, as they move into middle school and high school, they are interested in the FFA. So, we've been looking into options for homeschoolers. Want to join? Find out more here: How to join FFA.



Recommended:

Indiana 4H

Gardening with Kids

Chickens


DIY Design with Collage Building: Outdoor Gardening Space and Patio Room Ideas

Outdoor Gardening Space and Patio Room DIY Design Ideas


Do you dream of designing your own space? DIY Design ideas are easy to come up with when you use an online collage builder program. The collage template below is a lot of fun. Enjoy!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.



Outdoor Gardening Space and Patio Room DIY Design Ideas DIY Design with a collage builder made this patio and garden space.



When you go shopping for new furniture for a room design are you one of the lucky ones who can visualize exactly how the room will go together? Can you tell if colors and patterns coordinate without holding fabric swatches or paint samples next to each other?  When designing an outdoor living space, the same factors come into play. 

You will love Picmonkey.com. Just upload your images to the collage templates or use their sample photos to create your own collage builderI wanted to design an inviting, fun outdoor space that coordinated with my patio room. I chose Adirondack seating and natural finishes to give the space an Americana style. For great tips on landscape and outdoor design projects visit outdoors.org.

With a landscape collage builder, you can flip and rotate items for the exact configuration of your desires. The collage above mixes and matches indoor and outdoor items perfect for the avid gardener or outdoor entertainer. When you're ready to get serious, you can sketch your design on graph paper. Did you know you can even buy landscape drawing templates like the pros use?






Just imagine the playhouse's window box filled with cascading flowers with your little one peeking out the window, the bookshelf covered in cute planters full of herbs and edible flowers, and you lounging on the oversize chaise after a beautiful summer morning spent gardening. Now, if you're space is overrun with trees, you may need to call a tree service so that you can start designing with a clear palette. In California, Tree and garden experts Roseville can help prep your backyard space.


Be sure to store unsightly gardening equipment in stackable baskets or wooden crates. No need to hide your watering source or red wheelbarrow. They give the space a sense of purpose and a punch of color. Above, the green frog on the pillow and wall hanging help define the space as an outdoor refuge. Are your creative juices flowing?


Ready to design your own space? Check out these outdoor gardening design templates and start experimenting today. 



Recommended:

Universal Design Tips for Nursery

Ideas for Great Kids' Rooms





How to Grow a Living Playscape: Willow Playhouse Cave for Kids

How to Grow a Living Playhouse for Kids from Willow Tree Branches: Plan for Earth Day


Building an outdoor playscape is just one of many fun garden projects you can do with your kids in the summer. We experimented by making a living playhouse from a willow tree. If you aren't sure how to get started on an outdoor design project, visit our post on diy outdoor design templates.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.


Outdoor play space living breathing organic play house structure garden


How to Make a Living Play Space


We shopped for various styles of playhouses, but they were very expensive. After a storm, tree branches covered the yard, so we gathered several willow branches and stuck them in the ground. Then, we cut a few skinny branches off the tree and wrapped them around the bigger branches forming a loose connection. Click here to see examples of  living willow tree play spaces from dengarden.com.

Miracle Grow gave our living willow playscape a boost. The kids generously watered the base of the branches. You don't need to have a green thumb to grow a Willow tree. Take a stem cutting or cut off a branch and stick it in soil. That's all you need to grow your own organic playhouse.

This is an easy project that keeps on giving year after year. 
Our little gardeners anxiously awaited for Spring in hopes their playhouse had survived the winter. To make sure your trees are well maintained, check with a tree care service and garden maintenance expert.

Our living willow playhouse ended up looking more like a cave than house. The kids crawled inside letting their imaginations run wild. In the spring, it was incredible to watch the miracle of rebirth. In the winter, our little play house looked like a pile of sticks, but a few months later it was well on it's way to becoming the centerpiece in our secret garden. It's the perfect place for sensory outdoor play. 









Easy Preschool Science: Make a Mini Terrarium in a Jar

How to Make a Terrarium in a Jar: Easy Ecosystem Science Lesson for Kids

We went to a nature park and saw this cool mini terrarium in a jar. It's the perfect spring gardening activity for  a preschool science lesson. Enjoy!


how to make an easy terrarium in a jar for preschool science
Preschool Science: How to make a terrarium in a jar.


This Earth Day, Grow a Memory: Activity for Preschoolers

Easy Activity to Celebrate Earth Day with Preschoolers

As a little girl, trips to McDonald's were rare. Today, it seems to be a staple in the little's diet. I wonder if they will remember their favorite Happy Meal prizes as I do.

Once upon a time, Mickey D's gave out tiny little peat pots and sunflower seeds; the gift that kept on giving. My Dad and I went home, planted those seeds, and later transplanted them into our backyard gardenFor years, we had a row of giant sunflowers. I even entered them in a 4-H contest. Sweet memories... you can make yourself. Enjoy!

Earth Day Preschool Activity Grow a Daisy
Just add soil, water, sunlight, and love.
This is a great project to pair with our Daisy-Head Mayzie Activities.


Recommended:

Daisy the Donut Fairy*

Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden*

Earth Day Recipes

Daisy Hat Craft