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How might kids at the ages 3 - 5 learn about the production of unique food?

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How might kids at the ages 3 - 5 learn about the production of unique food?

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Background Research: Where Food Comes From

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Background Research: Where Food Comes From

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Production of Bananas
Production of Caviar
Production of Garlic
Production of Cranberries (Click Image for URL)

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Revised April, 2019

Introduction

Of all the fruits only three are native to North America, the cranberry is one of them. It is a perennial crop grown commercially in man-made wetlands or bogs in primarily five states in the U.S. Americans consume nearly 400 million pounds of cranberries per year, 20 percent of them during Thanksgiving week. The U.S. per capita consumption of cranberries is 2.3 pounds, almost entirely in the form of juice or juice blends. Cranberries are at the top of the list of healthy foods. Besides being high in vitamin C, manganese and fiber, cranberries are rich in phyto-nutrients (naturally derived plant compounds), particularly proanthocyanidin antioxidants, which are essential for all-round wellness.

Marketing

Cranberries, once traditionally consumed seasonally with holiday turkeys, are now consumed year round in processed forms. Fresh market cranberries are stored following harvest until it is time to package and ship berries out for the U.S. holiday market. Only about 5 percent of cranberries produced in the U.S. are sold fresh and the remaining 95 percent are processed, most commonly for juice and juice blends. Most cranberry growers sell their production on contract. A handful of companies purchase cranberries directly from growers. Massachusetts-based Ocean Spray accounts for about 80 percent of raw cranberry purchases. Other handlers include Northland Cranberries, Inc., Wisconsin; Decas Cranberry Products, Massachusetts; Clement Pappas & Company, Inc., New Jersey; and Cliffstar Corporation, New York.

Production

According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Board, the forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2017 was forecast to be down 6 percent from 2016, with a total of 9.54 million barrels harvested or approximately 905 million pounds. Wisconsin is the leading producer of cranberries, producing 62 percent of the U.S crop in 2017. Other leading cranberry producing states include Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington. (USDA NASS 2017). The total acres of cranberries harvested in 2016 was 41,500, with average yield per acre of 11.5 tons, ranging from 5.45 to nearly 14.4 tons per acre. The total value of the utilized U.S. cranberry production was $292.29 million, 92 percent of the value coming from processed cranberries. Domestically, the cranberry industry is dominated by a handful of grower/processors. Ocean Spray, one of the oldest grower-owned cooperative in the United States, represents over 600 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington as well as producers in British Columbia and Quebec, Canada, and Chile.

Prices

The price per 100-pound barrel in 2017 averaged $57.60 for fresh cranberries and $29.10 per 100-pound barrel for processed cranberries, respectively (USDA NASS 2017).

Sources

Cranberries. 2017. USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Cranberry Highlights. 2016. USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2017 Summary. 2017 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

National Retail Report - Specialty Crops. Issued weekly by the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service.

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Revised April, 2019 Introduction Of all the fruits only three are native to North America, the cranberry is one of them. It is a perennial crop grown commercially in man-made wetlands or bogs in primarily five states in the U.S. Americans consume nearly 400 million pounds of cranberries per year, 20 percent of them during Thanksgiving week.

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Process for Creating Educational Toys
Toys that Teach Examples
Successful Educational Toys

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I decided to switch up the project and make an online game

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https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/498924831/

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1. How do you feel about this piece of work? What parts of it do you particularly like? Dislike? Why? What did/do you enjoy about this piece or work?
I think I did pretty good for the project. I like how simple but also educational I made the game. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't figure out a way to make it so if you accidently drag the correct food over the correct spot and then place it in the wrong spot then it wouldn't make a noise. I enjoyed doing the drawings of the food.

2. What would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?
I would try to find a way to make the coding part of the project more advanced / detailed.

3. What did you learn about yourself as you worked on this piece?
I learned that the design process for projects like these are very long and difficult and require some time put in to create a good project.