AG in the classroom brings cotton to Illinois

 

[October 24, 2018] 

LINCOLN 

During the month of October, Amy Hyde from the U of I Extension and Ag in the Classroom is teaching Logan County students in kindergarten through fifth grade about Cotton. Although cotton is not grown in Illinois (Texas is the top producer of cotton.), the students have learned how much this crop impacts our daily lives! The students learned that we all use it several times a day in such items as clothing, diapers and toilet paper. Our United State paper currency is made up of 75% cotton and 25% linen, and there are three-fourths of a pound of cotton in each pound of dollar bills.

Each student was given their own cotton boll. The boll is the round, fluffy clumps that grow on the cotton plant and contain the cotton seeds. They dissected the boll by pulling out the seeds and learning the parts of the cotton boll.

Students took the cotton seeds home to save for next spring, so we may have some cotton growing in Logan County next year.

The Logan County Ag in the Classroom program is sponsored by the Agricultural Education Partnership of Logan, Menard and Sangamon Counties and U of I Extension through donations from individuals, businesses and Farm Bureau. Questions about this program can be addressed to Amy Hyde at the Logan County U of I Extension Office at 217-732-8289 or email at amyhyde@ illinois.edu 

[Amy Hyde]