'Chocolate milk doesn't come from brown cows': P.E.I. students learn about agriculture

About 50 Grade 3 students at Queen Elizabeth Elementary in Kensington, P.E.I.,were treated to a breakfast Tuesday that was produced entirely on the Island, including bacon, sausages, eggs, applesand milk.

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The students won the breakfast as part of PEI's Agriculture in the Classroom and the Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month program, which this yearexpanded from a week to a month.

"So many people are disconnected from farms, they don't realize where the food comes from," said Marc Schurman of Atlantic Grown Organics, who talked to the students about growing vegetables.

Learning opportunity

The studentsheard presentations about P.E.I. agriculture,learning aboutdifferent types of farming.

Eight-year-old Daniel Walshhas a vegetable garden at home, but said helearned something new at the event.

"I learnedchocolate milk doesn't come from brown cows," he smiled.

'Their food is right here'

Some of the students were also surprised to learn Schurman'sgreenhouse, just down the road, grows tomatoes in winter andisabout twice the size of their school.

Schurman hopes students will go home and talk to their parents about where their food comes from.

"Educating children early is definitely a great way to have them realize that their food is right here if they make the effort to find it," he said.

Three winning schools

Students were read the bookWhat's Growing Around Us?which was created for this program and teaches kids about farming on P.E.I.,andeach got a copy of the book to take home.

The studentswere the second winning group to have the breakfast. The first was Sherwood Elementary, and Cardigan Consolidated is coming up next.

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