Did you know that cotton is a food crop?! I didn't, but Mrs. Anderson's TK class at Rowell Elementary did!

According to the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations, cottonseed oil is used in products such as margarine, salad dressing, toothpaste, ice cream and cosmetics. Cotton production in Fresno County averages almost a million bales a year. (Fresno County Farm Bureau)

Cotton is just one of the many commodities that the TK class learned about when discussing agriculture in Fresno County and California. They also learned that Fresno County continues to be the top producing agricultural county in the nation. (Fresno County Farm Bureau)

Mrs. Anderson's class took the learning process a step further by creating a spectacular wall titled, “We Grow Food in Fresno County.” The wall showcased a Farmer's Market with a variety of fruits and vegetables such as grapes, tomatoes, and berries. Mrs. Anderson shared that this project was a great way to both inform students about the abundance of local foods that grow in their county and  allowed them to connect the healthy foods to MyPlate.

Take a look at these impressive pictures of the classroom's Farmer's Market!

                               Wow- Look at the variety of delicious foods!

                           What fruits and vegetables do you see?

                     I see grapes, tomatoes, carrots, blueberries, and cotton!

                                         Can you spot MyPlate?

Thank you to Mrs. Anderson and her students for their extraordinary work!