Marion County Summer Ag Tours 

Eight (8) area teachers recently spent two days touring a few Agri-businesses as part of the Marion County Ag in the Classroom (AITC) program’s annual Summer Agricultural Institute (SAI) for educators.  The course is designed for educators and focuses on how to integrate available resources and hands-on activities about agriculture and the environment into an existing classroom curriculum and often offers a first-hand look through tours of local farms and agri-businesses. 

Day 1 was packed with tours and presentations. Teachers first heard from Emily Rose of Simply Made Whipped Beef Tallow to learn about her value-added beef tallow products before a visit from Brooke with Windy Wild Onion Acres, where they discovered the process of producing goat milk products. The group also visited a community garden, heard a presentation from Chris Lueking with University of Illinois Extension, toured Air Supply in Salem, and concluded the day with lunch and a tour at Iron Saddle. 

On Day 2, participants heard from Taylor with Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) before traveling to Flower Ginny in Xenia for a behind-the-scenes look at the cut flower industry.  

The 2-day class was coordinated by Abbey Walsh, Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) Coordinator for the Marion County Farm Bureau.  More information about Summer Agricultural Institutes and resources available through the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program are available online at www.agintheclassroom.org.