Grade school students throughout Ogle and Carroll counties learned about Christmas tree farms. There were 62 programs presented to 1,275 students during the month of December.
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OGLE COUNTY — Grade school students throughout Ogle and Carroll counties learned about Christmas tree farms. There were 62 programs presented to 1,275 students during the month of December.
The Ag in the Classroom program teaches students that many items we use every day originate from crops grown by farmers. Some crops we eat. Others are used to make our homes beautiful. Many are used to make clothes and other helpful items. Moreover, some crops help us celebrate.
Trees, like corn, are grown on farms. Tree growers do many of the same things other farmers do. However, a tree crop is different because it takes 7 to 10 years before a tree can be harvested. In addition, a tree farmer must plant three new seedlings for every tree that they harvest because seedlings have many enemies including insects and disease, rabbits, and deer.
Like other crops, trees must be fertilized and weeded. The farmer also prunes the trees to control how fast they grow and shapes them so when they are sold; they have a shape people will like.