By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern
Summer is finally here! While this does mean that we, unfortunately, get to roast in triple-digit Arizona heat, the positive is that it also means that school is out, and playing and enjoying time at home is in full swing. Spending time outdoors is always a great way to get some vitamin D and exercise, but there are days when it’s just too darn hot for that, and spending the day indoors is a better option. Instead of turning on the TV to watch cartoons, or picking up the controllers and playing video games, take the opportunity to learn about something new, such as Arizona agriculture! 
Arizona Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program offers so many resources for fun, educational learning opportunities about Arizona agriculture, many of which can be accessed online and watched from the comfort of your own house! To make it even better, there is something for everyone! There are videos that the whole family can enjoy, some that are geared towards younger kids, and then some that are more in-depth for older kids!
The virtual ag tours are lots of fun for the whole family to watch. In these, you’ll get to see pictures and videos from different farm families and their crops or livestock, as well as hear them talk about what they do on their farms! My family had the opportunity to give a virtual tour of our goat ranch and had a blast while doing it!
These webinars talk about some of the different issues facing the Arizona agriculture industry as well as how different bills and policies impact this industry. These are a lot more in-depth, so younger kids might not learn as much from them as older kids will.
Ag in the Classroom Virtual Presentations
While these presentations are ones that are typically shown in schools, they are still super fun to watch, easy to understand, and very informative! These ones are especially good for younger kids, as they often read an agriculture-themed kids’ book, and then explain all of the concepts and how it relates to them!
The Ag in the Classroom YouTube channel contains all these videos and more! Check it out here!
Plus, the Outreach Department hosts regular videos on just about every agriculture topic you can imagine. We feature them in our “Food for Thought” series of videos.
Arizona agriculture is very diverse in the crops that are grown, the animals that are raised, and all of the products produced, so there is no shortage of learning opportunities! So, take advantage of some of the time spent indoors this summer and explore what Arizona agriculture has to offer!
For more articles on summer activities and Arizona agriculture, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!