News

Book barn makes ag literacy mobile

Farm Bureau book barns are mobilizing ag literacy for elementary students.

Daniela Dryer of the Ionia County Farm Bureau in Michigan tells Brownfield the county’s book barn started as a traveling library of accurate ag literacy books but demand from teachers was so high they’re now outfitting every elementary school in their county with the barns.  “We’re sticking them in their libraries so that every teacher when they’re ready for it, they can come down and grab it and wheel it off to their classrooms.”  The book barn is a mobile bookshelf shaped like a barn and filled with age appropriate books focused on agriculture and includes lesson plans for teachers.

Dryer says with the help of a local prison workshop program to build the barns, they’ve been able to donate the mobile bookcases to half of the elementary schools in their county.

Similar book barns are mobilizing ag literacy throughout Michigan and other states. Farm bureau members will be reading to students next week as part of National Agriculture Week and National Reading Month.

Dryer was named the 2016 Michigan Farm Bureau Volunteer of the Year award winner for her work promoting agriculture in the local community.

AUDIO: Interview with Daniela Dryer during Michigan Farm Bureau Annual Meeting