Guest Columnist
Adults my age (74) or older knew at least the agriculture basics when growing up. In high school, agriculture classes for most males were a given. Regardless of whether one took agriculture, science classes required at least bug and leaf collections.
Today, it appears that much of this knowledge is being lost. hen children ask whether a wienie grows in the ground or in a tree, we have a problem. When children are asked where milk comes from and they answer the local supermarket, we have a problem.
Adults should go to elementary schools every spring and provide hands-on briefings about making bird houses, growing herbs, flowers and vegetables, bee keeping, farm animals and more. Put in multiple raised bed gardens at elementary schools.
Provide instructions and get students and teachers involved. Have students grow vegetables in the beds. This is a small but significant start, because the beds are there every year for new students to use. The look on children's eye when they pull a radish, carrot, potato, tomato, or other vegetable is just priceless. Some children will then start their own small home gardens.
Give local adult group briefings, including groups largely composed of retired individuals, because this is where some of the best expertise is available.
Today, many think gardens are large and are unaware they can have a 3' X 6' garden, grow vegetables in a 5 gallon bucket, or have a herb and flower garden. We all have to make a considerable effort to ensure agriculture knowledge is learned and retained by our youth.
Our food supply needs to increase 75-80% by 2050, and only about 3% of the usable land is not already being farmed. If agriculture knowledge doesn't start increasing, will the last farmer please turn off the lights when he leaves.
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