The holidays are a time of giving, and what could be better than giving the gift of agriculture? Here are five ideas for farm-related gifts to include under the tree.
Donate food.
There are so many opportunities to donate food all year, not just at the holidays. Yet, it seems the needs increase this time of year. Whether a food bank, a backpack buddy program, or other community collection point, food is always a welcome gift, especially for those in need.
Donate farm toys.
This year consider donating farm-related toys to the annual Toys for Tots campaign. It’s easy to do with all the agriculture toys available – tractors, Legos, trucks, stuffed animals, and even Barbie.
Give an agriculture book to a child or a teacher.
For example, Ag in the Classroom has a Book-of-the-Month program. For $5 a month, you get a book that is accurate about agriculture. Each book comes with lesson plans, so this would make a great gift for any child’s classroom.
You can also find a list of “factual” agriculture books and other recommended resources on the American Farm Bureau Foundation website.
Give an agriculture experience.
With so many farms diversifying into agritourism, there are many opportunities for children to visit farms. Many offer camps during school breaks and summer as well. Consider giving the gift of a farm experience – one you might enjoy, too!
Give a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription.
This is a way to support local farmers by purchasing a subscription to a weekly box of food grown by an individual farmer (or sometimes several local farmers). Each box contains seasonal produce and can vary from week to week. Most states have many farms offering CSAs and some include other foods like meat and cheese.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Your CAD team thought you might find these suggestions interesting along with compelling ways to give during the holidays and support agriculture in your community at the same time! Perhaps with a little exploring of your own, you could identify a different, unique way to accomplish the same goal. Either way, we offer these suggestions for your consideration since, after all, you are a CAD member!
