It is almost May, and spring (or maybe even summer based on the heat) is definitely upon us! This week’s collection of SEEAG-tivities is focused on all of the happiness and opportunities for growth that this time of year brings us. Below you will find lessons, experiments, activities, and webinar opportunities that will help you and your student(s) make the most of May.
Be sure to check out our next episode in the Sprouting Minds webinar series: “Ask a Master Mom Gardener!” Next week we are excited to bring you a panel of three local expert gardeners that will help you answer any questions you have about how to start, grow, or revive your garden! Register for the webinar on our website, and be sure to submit your questions ahead of time to ensure you get all of the answers you need.
We hope you are staying cool, and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.
Sincerely,
Mary and Team SEEAG
Remember to check out SEEAG on Facebook and Instagram!
Join us on Thursday, May 7, 2020 for a special “Ask a Master Mom Gardener” webinar with three local gardening experts, including a local mom and a Ventura County Master Gardener! Participating in this webinar is a great way to learn with mom, or learn for mom and help her create the garden of her dreams this Mother’s Day! To register, visit our website at www.seeag.org/webinars. Be sure to submit your questions on our website ahead of time, and come prepared! These expert gardeners are here to help you start, expand, or revive your garden!
Grades: All Grades Description: Spring is a wonderful time of year. While the season lures many of us out of the house, it also lures the insects out. While our plants are blooming the insects are zooming out of hiding and some species can wreak havoc on gardens and farmland. Farmers and gardeners have crafted various creative methods for dealing with pests (insects that do harm to their crops). If you have a garden or a beloved potted plant that you want to protect, or don’t enjoy flying insects buzzing around your home as you leave the doors and windows open to cool off, try some of these natural remedies to control those pests.
Grades: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Standards: 3-LS3-1 Description: In the natural world, nothing goes to waste. Composting is nature’s way of recycling. From banana peels to animal bones, organisms such as vultures, insects, fungus and mold help breakdown resources that were once alive so that they can become part of the Earth again. You can watch the composting process happen right in your own home using leftover food from one of your meals and a plastic bag. Follow the simple instructions included in this link to get started. Watch as nature breaks down your old food and turns it into healthy compost that can be added to potted plants, gardens, or at the base of a tree.
Grades: All Grades Standards: 4-LS1-1, 2-LS2-2 Description: Avocado season is in full swing in Southern California. Around this time of year, we see ripe avocados on the side of the road, falling off trees, and for sale in almost every grocery store. This activity will guide you through the process of sprouting an avocado seed so that you can grow your very own avocado tree. This activity also includes some useful information on the hard work and dedication that is required by avocado tree farmers to produce the avocados we love to eat.
Grades: All Grades Standards: 2-PS1-1, K-ESS3-3 Description: Wildflowers are in full bloom in California. While some flowers, such as the bright orange poppy, can’t be picked, there are a number of colorful flowers outside that can be picked and used to create a beautiful work of art. This activity utilizes flowers in your neighborhood and allows you to create a piece of art using just a few household items while discussing the importance of wildflowers to the ecosystem.
Harvest of the Week:
Strawberries!
Fun Facts About Strawberries: 1. The average strawberry has 200 seeds. 2. 94% of all American households eat strawberries and the average person eats 3.4 pounds of these berries a year! 3. Over a billion pounds of strawberries are produced in California every year! 4. Strawberry plants are handpicked every three days throughout the season. 5. The perfect temperature for strawberry plants is between 55 and 78 degrees.For tons of strawberry recipes, check out the Produce Mom’s recipe index website!
Grades: All Grades Standards: 1-LS1-1, 3-LS3-2 Description: Have you ever bought strawberries that started to grow fluffy mold and turn brown before you could finish eating them? What about a banana that has started to turn from yellow to brown after being peeled if not eaten right away? While fruits no longer taste as good once they begin to brown, this process of browning is a fruit’s special way of preserving itself. It is called oxidation. In this experiment you will test different methods of preserving fruit and learn how to slow down that natural browning process.
Grades: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Standards: K.1.2.N, 2.1.7.N, 2.5.2.N Description: You most likely already practice good eating habits (most of the time), but it’s a lot more fun to see with your own eyes why some foods, like chips, cookies, and cakes aren’t the best to eat everyday. We call these foods “sometimes foods.” On the other hand, watermelon, grapes and celery are referred to as “always foods” and can be enjoyed on a daily basis. Try this experiment using some of your favorite “sometimes foods” and “always foods”. Over the course of a few days some of your “sometimes food” choices will reveal what they are hiding inside that makes them unhealthy to eat everyday.
AGTech Spotlight: Netafim’s Subsurface Drip Irrigation System for
Dairy Farmers
Winner of the 2020 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award for Outstanding Community Impact, this process not only re-uses water, but also recycles manure as a natural crop nutrient and soil builder, reducing the need for commercial fertilizer.
Future of Agriculture – FOA 202: Agribusiness’ Role in Sustainability and Food Security
What is food security? Last week, the Future of Agriculture podcast featured an insightful episode discussing global food security and sustainability and what that means in the face of a pandemic and struggling climate. The podcast also discusses what the factors are to create more food secure countries and why we should all be interested in this vital subject.
