Learning about education down on the farm isn’t just a nursery rhyme about Old McDonald. It’s a vital part of agriculture’s future in Mercer County, the state and the nation, according to Jill Shankel of Liberty Township.

Ms. Shankel is coordinating Mercer County Conservation District’s response to Pennsylvania’s new agricultural standards.

The standards, which will soon be passed into law, state that Pennsylvania’s students need to be more environmentally aware and that teachers will be required to help.

Hired as the education coordinator in June, Ms. Shankel has been implementing programs for pre-schoolers, students and teachers to help meet the standards, and to educate them about agriculture and the environment.

"The standards include ‘Watersheds and Wetlands’ and ‘Agriculture and Society’, and we can help teachers who are educating their students with our resources," Ms. Shankel said, referring to the county’s Munnell Run Farm on state Route 58 in Coolspring Township. It’s managed by the conservation district.

District Manager Jim Mondok said the farm is a showcase for conservation practices and what goes into watershed protection.

"Teachers are now required to get 180 hours of continuing education every five years," Ms. Shankel said. "Some of those hours can be gotten right here. They can also bring students for field trips and programs we’re working on to help them meet the new agriculture requirements for education in Pennsylvania."

Some of the programs include a two-session agricultural awareness teacher workshop which is worth one continuing education credit through Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, Grove City; school field trips to the farm; and pre-school programs.

"I have 14 pre-school classes coming to take the fall harvest season program," Ms. Shankel said, noting the program only costs $1 per child for materials. "I will also go to schools and pre-schools and do programs."

Another reason the district felt it was important to hire a full-time education coordinator is because of a survey of county teachers done by the state and Ms. Shankel.

"According to both surveys, the two areas that teachers needed help in teaching and felt deficient in were agriculture and wetlands," she said.

Ms. Shankel sees her programming as a way of aiding the education system in the county and the state as well as informing the area youth about environmental concerns.

"It’s really important we teach them at this age, because kids grow up to be parents, and parents are often the policymakers," Mondok added. "When the kids grow up, they will have a better appreciation of environmental protection."