“Upon the subject of education…I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.” – Abraham Lincoln, as quoted by author Peggy Thomas in “Lincoln Clears a Path: Abraham Lincoln’s Agricultural Legacy.”
Oxford Languages defines literacy as “the ability to read and write,” and as “competence or knowledge in a specified area.”
For the 20th year, DeKalb County Farm Bureau and generous area donors have helped to address both meanings of the word. By providing food and farm-related children’s books to school libraries, this program enables students to practice their reading skills while simultaneously learning about agriculture.
In addition to “Lincoln Clears a Path” schools received “Erosion: How Hugh Bennett Saved America’s Soil and Ended the Dust Bowl,” by Darcy Pattison; “How to Grow an Apple Pie,” by Beth Charles; “Tech on the Farm,” by Holly Dufek; “Coolbean the Soybean,” by Shawn Conley; and “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish,” by Viola Butler.
Local sponsors make the donations of ag-related children’s books possible by providing funds needed for their purchase. Upon opening each donated book, readers will find a label recognizing the sponsor or sponsors of that title.
“It may be a digital world,” says Ag Literacy Coordinator Rhodora Collins, “but kids still read a lot of books. It’s a significant way they are learning about the world around them.”
A total of 199 books were distributed this fall, bringing the number of items donated since 2002 to more than 3,800.
