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Farm Bureau volunteer Bruce Thayer said when he brings the farm – including soybeans, pumpkins and baby animals – to kindergarten students at Milan Elementary School in Erie County, all of the kids have questions.

"They just love it," he said. "They're all interested and they want to talk about it."

Thayer teaches kids about agriculture once a month; he started the project after the Erie County Farm Bureau decided to adopt a class to educate students about farming.

"People don't know where their food is coming from," Thayer said.

But 55 kindergartners at the school know about the different varieties of Ohio apples. They've measured pumpkins and ate pumpkin desserts and have held soybeans and corn.

OFBF Education Specialist Judy Roush said Farm Bureau has materials available to any county Farm Bureau that might want to adopt a classroom.

"We've developed a program to go along with our Lessons in Economics kit for 4th through 6th grades," Roush said. She added that materials are available for other grade levels, such as the kindergarten class in Erie County.

Thayer said he tries to tie in his presentations with classroom lessons to enhance the students' education.

"Teachers love it, too," he said.

For more information, contact Roush at 614-246-8243.

Caption: Erie County Farm Bureau member Bruce Thayer teaches kindergarten students about pumpkins. Photo courtesy Milan Elementary School