Ag Week successful in Orange

Cornell Cooperative Extension considers the 21st annual New York Agricultural Literacy (AgLit) Week 2025 an overwhelming success and thanks Orange County schools, volunteers, and the Extension Master Gardeners.

A team of 48 master gardener volunteers and 15 community members and staff read “The Pie That Molly Grew” by Sue Heavenrich in March and April in local schools.

The CCE Orange County AgLit program reached 41 Orange County schools, 278 classrooms and 4869 in grades Pre-K through fourth. All the children were excited to talk about different types of pumpkins and their uses. Thanks to donations from CCE Orange County, NYS Agriculture in the Classroom and the NYS Farm Bureau, each participating school received a copy of the book to keep in their library. Donations from NYS Agriculture in the Classroom also provided hands-on activities so each student could understand the lifecycle of a pumpkin and grow their own seedlings. Although not a favorite of most children surveyed in the classroom, we are looking forward to lots of pumpkin pie in the Fall.