It came from a farmer

By MEGAN RATHZ

When Nature Speaks

I recently got home from a grocery run, and as I was putting our produce away, my daughter Mary excitedly announced that there were tomatoes on our counter. I looked at her and I asked her if she knew where that tomato came from, and she replied, “A farmer!”

I was so happy and somewhat relieved that she realized this that I proceeded to ask her where our blueberries and raspberries came from. She thought for a moment and then said proudly, “The store!” While I was thrilled that she understood the tomatoes came from a farmer, I realized how important it is at that moment to make sure my children always understand how the food we purchase ends up at the supermarket and on our table.

This was that same day my husband and I took our children to Spencer Farm to go berry picking. While we were picking blueberries and raspberries, we talked about how food does not get to the grocery stores without a farmer and that someone has to pick the food and take care of it to produce a harvest – just like mommy’s flowers.

I believe there is profound appreciation and respect that children can learn for our food when they understand its origin. Plant a vegetable garden in your backyard, take your children to a local farmer’s market, let them pick berries, visit an egg stand in your area, go to the pumpkin patch and let them see the pumpkin on the vine, visit the local beekeeper to see where honey comes from. These are just a few ways our children can understand where our food comes from, and more importantly, why it matters. Take your children to visit local places where food is produced. The Indiana State Fair is another wonderful opportunity to celebrate the agricultural impact our state has with the food we consume.

When children participate in the process of planting and harvesting food, they develop a respect for the greatest backbone in our food supply and country: our farmers. We live in a state that depends on agriculture. The farms in our state are vital to our economy and the accessibility of the food we consume.

In addition to farmers, pollinators serve a crucial role to the success of local crops and food production. Their importance cannot be overstated. It is not about pretty flowers; they are one of the main reasons we have food. According to The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), “Three out of four crops across the globe producing fruits or seeds for human use as food depend, at least in part, on pollinators. Pollinators are under threat – sustainable agriculture can reduce risk to pollinators by helping to diversify the agricultural landscape and making use of ecological processes as part of food production.”

What can you do to help? Promote pollinator habitats in your own backyard by planting pollinator-friendly plants and avoid the use of harmful pesticides. Explain the importance of the pollinators to your children and the role a farmer plays in what we eat. Instill in your children a sense of respect for agriculture, nature and the relationship the two have with each other.

The next time you sit down to eat with your children or are in the supermarket, ask them where their food came from. Support our local businesses and farmers by bringing your children to their establishments and teaching your children to think and ask questions about where their food comes from. Most importantly, if you ate today, thank a farmer … and a bee.

Nature is giving us a chance to educate our children. What are you teaching yours?

Megan Rathz is a wife, mother and teacher. She says everything she has ever learned in life came from her Master Gardener mother.