Handwritten letters were mailed out to about two dozen Cole County farmers living in Russellville or Lohman this week from students in Gayla Spencer's sixth-grade class.
It's "Thank a Farmer Week," and Tina Kauffman with the Cole County Farm Bureau's promotion and education committee asked them to write the letters, after reading to the class the book "Who grew my soup?" by Tim Darbyshire.
"I think farmers should keep on growing their crops," said student Mark Tripp. "They're good for us, keeps us healthy and alive."
In speaking to the Russellville Middle School class recently, Kauffman said she hoped to bring more awareness of how farmers impact people's daily lives.
For Spencer, having a meaningful project to which to apply the student's letter-writing skills was a welcome idea.
"I think farmers need to be thanked," said student Ava Rademann. "They don't get appreciated much."
Cole County Farm Bureau also donated "Farmer George Plants a Nation" by Peggy Thomas to Spencer's classroom. Kauffman said the bureau offers many resources for teachers to incorporate farming into their lessons and readings.
"It was awesome and fun to learn about what the kid did in the story," which was to visit farms where vegetables were grown, said student Kraylin Laird.
She hadn't considered from where come some of the vegetables she eats.
Although she doesn't really know a farmer personally, Laird said it was important "to make farmers feel more appreciated.
"It makes you want to have your best handwriting, focus on the letter and write something you personally mean."