What do you think of when I say, "water quality and farmer," or "farmers and the environment?" Students from Center Point-Urbana High School had the opportunity to FarmChat® with Spencer Jordan, Linn County Farm Bureau Board of Director, about some of the practices he implements on his farm. FarmChat® utilizes technology to bring the farm experiences directly into classrooms. Using a laptop at the school and a mobile device at the farm, students connect with and directly speak with the farmer. Students can see the farm and ask the farmer questions. Spencer began by providing an overview of the farm and the type of practices he implements. Conversations are then guided by student questions! S
Did you know during World War II, locally established hydroponic systems were used to grow fruits and vegetables to feed US Armed Forces stationed on non-arable islands in the Pacific? Hydroponic systems have been around for a long time and play an important role in the agriculture industry. Students at Center Point-Urbana High School set up their own system to explore how a lettuce will grow in nutrient-rich water. The system was designed by Phil Pfister, Linn County Master Gardener and provided by Linn County Farm Bureau. We began our lesson by watching TrueFoodTV's "How does it Grow? Spinach" video. This video was a great introduction to how hydropinic systems work. Our classroom system i
