Summary 2020 — Connecticut

State Contact

Innovative Programming Conducted and Educational Resources Developed

Report from 2018

Read Across Connecticut: Seed to Plant, part of the National Geographic Readers Series. We also did a grow your own bean seed activity kit if volunteers wanted to include a hands on activity.

http://ctaef.org/ag-in-the-classroom/

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

Report from 2018

Students from 1,2 and 4th grade were brought out to a farm in CT to learn about various parts of agriculture. Volunteers were instrumental in providing this educational opportunity.

Approximately 5550 students, kindergarten to grade 3 were read National Geagraphic's Bees. Approximately 450 preschoolers heard the younger versing Buzz Bee. Students then participated in projects that created pollinated flower models.

Program Leader Biosketch

Report from 2018

My name is Don Tuller, I serve as President of the Connecticut Ag Ed Foundation. I also serve as the President of the Connecticut Farm Bureau Association. I have a BS in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut. I've been a member of the Foundation and President of CFBA for 10 years. We are an all volunteer board.

Debbi Tanner serves as our volunteer ag in the classroom coordinator. Debbi was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mansfield, CT.

Her husband bought their own dairy farm in 1981, added bison in 1990 and transitioned to all bison in 2005. They are the owners of Creamery Brook Bison where they raise bison for meat and give educational tours to schools, private groups and also offer public tours on specific dates. Debbi has an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Eastern CT State College ( now ECSU). She also has a masters Degree from UCONN in Education and Reading. Debbi is the chair of the CT Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee. As part of the CT WLC she is involved in distributing (with the financial assistance of CTAEF) ag accurate books, barn shaped bookshelves and a hands-on project to 19 schools in CT.

She is also a member of the following:

• Member of the American Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee
• Member of the Brooklyn, CT Ag Commission
• Member of the Northeast Visitors District BOD
• Member of MysticCountry BOD

Debbi and her husband have 3 daughters - a teacher, an educational para-professional, and a lawyer. They have 9 grandchildren, 6 of whom live on the farm property.

She is also a part-time sub para-professional at the local elementary school.