Farming for the Future Mini Grants

2008

Provided by the South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.

The Camden County 4-H Youth Development Program is this year’s winner of the “Farming for the Future” Mini grant. “Camden Celebrates Agriculture” will educate over 120 Camden elementary students on farming in New Jersey. They will learn about the 130 different crops raised in New Jersey and career opportunities in the agricultural industry. Students will gain a greater appreciation for farmers, who provide us with safe affordable food.

Funding for this grant is provided by South Jersey’s annual Tour des Farms bike ride. The purpose of Tour des Farms is to send riders through agricultural areas and to acquaint them first hand with farmers and locally grown produce. “We do this by designing bike routes that pass by local farm stands, where riders can buy produce using farm bucks. We then pick up the produce and bring it back to the museum” stated Ken Taaffe, the event coordinator. This year, close to 200 riders participated in this ride. The event was sponsored jointly by the South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council and Burlington County.

The Council congratulates the
Camden 4-H Development Program
for the initiative to sponsor this program.

Camden County Master Gardener Coordinator Becki Szkotak conducts the activity “Pinto Plant Parts” and “Upside Down Seed” for students in the 14-week Junior Master Gardener program held at the Charles Sumner Elementary School in Camden in spring 2008.