Northeast Iowa – Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) is celebrating National Agriculture Week by sharing how agriculture impacts our lives. National Ag Week runs from March 23 to 29, with National Ag Day on March 25. Ag Day is about recognizing and celebrating the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives.
During National Ag Week, Silos & Smokestacks will showcase stories of how agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. To be part of the Ag Week conversation, visit Silos & Smokestacks Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ssnha or their Twitter page at www.twitter.com/ssnha. They are encouraging visitors to visit the sites to comment and share how agriculture has impacted their own lives. For those wanting hands on experience, a number of SSNHA Partner Sites will be celebrating, including:
- Grout Museum District, Waterloo. The “It’s Not Your Grandparent’s Farm, Or is It?” exhibit looks at Iowa’s rich farming past as well as present methods. A life-size diorama of a “Farmer’s Market,” immerses visitors in the importance of supporting local Iowa businesses and the families who raise everything from fruits to buffalo.
- Iowa Dairy Center, Calmar. Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) and the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation invite everyone to attend a Dairy Barn Open House on March 27, from 2 – 7 p.m., to view demonstrations of a completed robotic milking system. The new advanced robotic milking system at the center will teach students, consumers, youth and area dairy producers about advancements in dairy science.
- Living History Farms, Urbandale. Living History Farms will be giving away a family four pack of tickets during National Ag Week. They will also be introducing a new blog, LHF Kids, and the corresponding section of their website devoted to “LHF Kids”, which includes coloring sheets, an interactive game, and a guide for touring with children under five.
“Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area preserves and tells the story of American agriculture every day. Our activities during National Ag Week gives the public a chance to contribute their own piece to the story,” commented Don Short, President of SSNHA.
For more information on Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area and other Ag Week activities within the region, visit www.silosandsmokestacks.org. SSNHA is one of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. The Heritage Area covers 37 counties in the northeast quadrant of Iowa. Interstate 80 borders it on the south and Interstate 35 borders it on the west. Through a network of sites, programs and events, SSNHA interprets farm life, agribusiness, and rural communities—past and present.
Topics: Press Releases
