Celebrating 35 Years of Project RED in Washtenaw County!

This week, Carlos had the honor of participating in Project RED (Rural Education Days) – a hands-on educational experience that teaches local 3rd graders where their food comes from and the importance of agriculture in our daily lives. 

Project RED has been a staple in Washtenaw County for 35 years. Project R.E.D. is designed to bring agriculture to school children in a field trip format. In an effort to educate youngsters about how agriculture touches their daily lives, Washtenaw County was the first county in Michigan to hold such an event. 

Since that time more than 20 county Farm Bureaus across the state conduct a Project R.E.D. or similar event. Project R.E.D. is a great way to reach hundreds of children in a small amount of time. Most events are only one day in length and can reach more than 2,000 children with an array of agriculture and natural resource topics.

Conducting a Project R.E.D. is a little more complex and will vary for each county across the state. Most Project R.E.D.s occur in the late spring or early fall, as most of the typical facilities that are used for these events are in large unheated buildings or outside. Upon arrival students (usually third-graders) typically are welcomed and split into groups of appropriate size. Educational stations are spread throughout the facility with several presentations occurring at once. Each station presentation lasts between 10 and 15 minutes, and then groups rotate. Some programs have students bring their lunch and then provide a lunch break at some point.

Our agency is proud to support such an impactful program that connects youth with the farming community through fun, interactive learning.