AITC News

May 1, 2025 | Winnipeg, MB - This spring, Grades 6 to 8 classes across Canada embarked on an exciting adventure in sustainability as part of Agriculture in the Classroom Canada’s (AITC-C) Mission Explorium. Designed to ignite curiosity, problem solving, and teamwork, this nationwide program challenged students to create a sustainable community after landing on a deserted island.

Launched on February 17 and concluding in late April, Mission Explorium offered dynamic, cross-curricular activities combining science, math, language arts, visual arts, and career studies with the goal of building agriculture and food literacy. Students worked collaboratively to complete quests, applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills to compete for regional wins and the chance to vie for national glory.

AITC-C is thrilled to congratulate Kelli Fredlund's grade 7/8 class at James L. Alexander School from Saskatoon School District 13 in Saskatoon, on claiming top honors in the inaugural competition. Over 225 classes from British Columbia to the Maritimes and Northern Canada participated in Mission Explorium, showcasing incredible creativity, problem solving, and teamwork. The class dazzled a panel of agriculture and educator industry judges with their extraordinary imagination and innovative designs. From crafting an intricate sustainable food system to their artistic renderings, the class demonstrated an exceptional ability to think outside the box and bring their island vision to life. Their creativity shone through in every detail, making their submission a standout among a sea of talented contenders. The class was awarded an indoor garden generously donated by Plantaform for their inspiring achievement. To see their winning video, visit https://youtu.be/wr7-2rGNHLA.

We are proud to also recognize the outstanding efforts of the Class of A. Rheault from Carman Collegiate, Manitoba, and the Class of V. Hussey from Bayview Academy, Newfoundland and Labrador, with an Honourable Mention in the Mission Explorium Challenge. Both classes demonstrated exceptional creativity, scientific inquiry, and collaborative spirit, standing out among entries from across the country. Their innovative approaches and dedication to exploration exemplify the values at the heart of Mission Explorium, and we commend these students and their educators for their inspiring contributions to this year’s national competition.

The Great Canadian Farm Tour ended on a sweet note with its final stop of Season 4 at Chaeban Ice Cream in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Owned by dairy scientist and second-generation cheesemaker Joseph Chaeban, the ice cream shop has created premium, all-natural ice cream made from locally sourced ingredients since 2017.

During the tour, Joseph shared insights into ice cream production and answered questions from students across Canada.

Here are some fun facts we learned on the tour:

• Award-Winning Ice Cream: Chaeban Ice Cream’s salted caramel flavour won Canadian Grand Champion and is their best-selling creation.
• Locally Sourced Ingredients: From Manitoba milk and cream to locally grown pumpkins and berries, Chaeban Ice Cream is proudly 100 per cent Canadian.
• The Secret Ingredient: The key to great ice cream is air! Chaeban Ice Cream incorporates less air than traditional brands, creating a denser and creamier texture.
• Dairy-Free Options: While Chaeban Ice Cream celebrates dairy, they also offer select non-dairy flavours to cater to lactose-intolerant customers.

Joseph’s process is a labour of love. Creating each batch of ice cream takes three days, from preparing the base to aging, freezing and packaging. During peak summer, the shop produces up to 300 litres of ice cream daily, amounting to nearly 100,000 pints annually.

Reflecting on his journey, Joseph shared, “my very first memories, I was going into my father’s cellar eating cheese every single morning, and I knew at a young age I wanted to be a cheesemaker and a dairy scientist, so this allowed me to love my job. I’m happy to come to work every day and put smiles on people’s faces.”

If you missed this stop, you can watch the recording here: WATCH THE TOUR

Grade 6 to 8 classes across Canada are invited to take on Mission Explorium this February!  The challenge, set on a fictional deserted island, has students work collaboratively to explore ecosystems, agriculture, food systems and culture while creating a sustainable society with the help of a pair of knowledgeable birds and a zany anthropologist. The epic adventure includes interactive videos, hands-on activities and leaderboards to keep students engaged and inspired.

With carefully designed activities that bring the curriculum to life, Mission Explorium makes learning fun and impactful. Students solve puzzles, design creative projects and tackle real-world challenges that spark critical thinking and curiosity. The program is flexible and accessible, making it an excellent fit for classrooms of all kinds.

Ten regional winners will advance to compete for the grand prize in April, with the Regional Champions going head-to-head with their counterparts in the quest to crown a National Champion. This year’s National Champion will win a Plantaform Indoor Garden for their classroom, generously donated by Plantaform. The indoor garden uses fog technology to grow fresh greens year-round while fostering learning about STEM in agriculture and food.

Registration is free and open now. The competition begins on February 17!

Sign up here: Mission Explorium

The Great Canadian Farm Tour Season 4 continued its journey across the country with a stop in Fort Langley, BC, at The Bog at Riverside Cranberry Farm. This family-run farm spans 34 acres and produces over 900,000 pounds of cranberries yearly.

Brian Dewit, who grew up on a dairy farm before venturing into cranberries, shared his journey into cranberry farming and how the unique challenges of the crop make every day different and exciting. He also introduced students to the fascinating world of cranberry production, from water-efficient harvesting techniques to the science behind their buoyancy.

Here are some fun facts we learned on the tour:

• Cranberries Float! Thanks to four hollow air pockets inside each berry, cranberries float, making water harvesting possible. Fields are flooded, berries are loosened from the vines and then they float to the surface for collection.
• Water Conservation in Action: The farm is designed with fields at varying elevations, allowing water to flow from one to another during harvest. This innovative approach reduces water waste.
• Perennial Power: Cranberries are perennials, meaning they grow back every year. With proper care like pruning and sanding, they can produce fruit indefinitely.
• Massive Yield: On average, the farm produces 30,000 pounds of cranberries per acre, translating to an impressive 70 million individual cranberries annually!

Before wrapping up the tour, Brian encouraged students to incorporate more cranberries into their daily diets and explore local farms.

“Come out to the ones that are doing the tours,” said Brian, “it’s really  good to know what’s going on out there, who’s growing it and how it’s grown, you’ll learn a lot when you’re out on the farm.”

If you missed this stop on the Great Canadian Farm Tour, you can catch the recording here: WATCH THE TOUR

For our latest stop on the Great Canadian Farm Tour, we visited the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture at Durham College in Ontario. This cutting-edge facility blends technology with agriculture, showing how food can be grown efficiently in urban spaces while making a meaningful impact on the community.

James Conway, the hydroponic farm manager and a graduate of Durham College’s Horticulture Technician program, shared insights into how hydroponics is revolutionizing farming. Using water enriched with nutrients and innovative materials like rock wool, the Barrett Centre grows crops like lettuce, herbs and micro-peppers without soil. Nearly all the lettuce is donated to local food banks, supporting those in need.

Here are some fun facts we learned on the tour:

• DIY Pollination: When growing peppers, James uses an electric toothbrush to mimic a bumblebee for pollination.
• Year-Round Freshness: The facility’s advanced system allows lettuce to be grown year-round, ensuring a consistent supply of fresh food.
• Farming for the Future: The centre experiments with micro-plants designed to maximize growth in small spaces, potentially contributing to sustainable food production for future space exploration.
• Hydroponic Coffee: At home, James grows a coffee plant hydroponically, with the first beans expected in two years.

As the tour wrapped up, James left students across Canada with a message of encouragement: “Always use your imagination. Don’t let it stop. Kindness is the best strength out there.”

If you missed the tour, catch the recording here: WATCH THE TOUR

The next stop of the Great Canadian Farm Tour is on Wednesday, November 26, at 11:00 a.m. ET, where we’ll visit a cranberry farm in British Columbia: REGISTER HERE

Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) is a leading advocate for agriculture education, paving the way for a skilled and informed future workforce. Through initiatives like thinkAG and Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month (CALM), AITC-C, in collaboration with ten provincial members, introduces students to diverse career paths in agriculture. By showcasing innovation, sustainability, and the industry’s essential role in Canada’s economy, AITC-C empowers students to view agriculture as a dynamic career option.

In line with its mission, AITC-C is involved in national efforts to address one of the sector’s most pressing challenges: closing the skills gap. A prime example is AITC-C’s involvement in the Skills Development Table—a collaborative platform created by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to address workforce needs in the sector. This initiative focuses on identifying the skills needed to fill agriculture jobs now and in the future. It works on creating clear career paths and flexible training options to help people enter or transition into agriculture roles. Another goal is to bring youth, new Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and others into the industry to create a stronger, more diverse workforce.

On October 25, 2024, the Skills Development Table gave a presentation to the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council, a group of individuals 30 and under from diverse agriculture backgrounds. This empowering session was designed to equip young leaders with tools and strategies for establishing their own table within the agriculture sector. The Skills Development Table shared their framework, from foundational themes to practical initiatives, with a focus on helping youth council members reach their peers and inspire more young people to consider careers in agriculture.

AITC members Laurie Loane, executive director from AITC-PEI and Kalysha Hanrahan, thinkAG manager from AITC-C, presented at the meeting. Loane spoke on the power of networking and the importance of creating effective and strong relationships within the agriculture sector.

Loane explained how crucial collaboration is to addressing industry challenges, as well as how essential it is for youth council members to build networks they can leverage to spread awareness about the diverse career paths in agriculture. Her message underscored a key point: by working with others—whether industry groups, educators, or government organizations—the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council can move further, faster.

Hanrahan followed Loane&r

November is Canada Career Month, and we're excited to celebrate!

Agriculture is more than just farming—it’s a dynamic industry with roles in technology, environmental science, business, engineering, food production, and more. Our programs are designed to build career literacy and open doors to future careers for young Canadians.

Helping students consider their future careers can feel challenging, but making career literacy part of everyday learning brings it to life! With its essential role in our world, agriculture offers an exciting range of paths for students to explore. Here are five creative ways to integrate career exploration into your lessons and inspire students to envision their future in agriculture!

1. Use Ready-Made Resources

Creating engaging, interactive resources from scratch can feel overwhelming, but ready-made materials make it easy and fun to incorporate career literacy into your lessons. Ag in the Classroom Canada and its ten provincial members offer a variety of free, user-friendly tools like videos, career-alignment workbooks, lesson plans, and even in-classroom programming to connect students with exciting career paths in agriculture. Visit our Resource Library to download free, ready-to-use curriculum-linked resources.

2. Encourage Self-Discovery

Self-discovery is a key part of career literacy. Students who know what they’re passionate about and what skills they have to offer can better envision their future career. Ag in the Classroom’s thinkAG initiative includes the Holland Code game, helping students explore their personalities, interests, and preferences to match them with fitting agricultural careers. 

3. Teach Real-World Skills Employers Seek

For the first time, the Great Canadian Farm Tour travelled north of the Arctic Circle, where we visited the Inuvik Community Greenhouse. This greenhouse allows the northern community to grow fresh, local produce year-round.  

Kenny Stewart, manager of the hydroponic unit, gave us a tour of the unique facility and taught us about how they can grow fresh produce throughout the cold Arctic winter.

“In my first year, I can’t tell you how many mistakes I made trying to grow these plants and learn about all the caveats of being in a greenhouse, in a hydroponics unit,” said Kenny to students across Canada, “but six years later, with enough effort and help, I’m now managing the hydroponics unit.”

“Never doubt yourself. If you make a mistake, you’re learning,” added Kenny as he wrapped up the tour,  

Here are some highlights from the tour:

• Most Northern Apple Trees: The greenhouse features apple trees that are the farthest north in Canada and North America, thriving despite the frigid temperatures. During the cold months, the apple trees are wrapped with blankets.
• Community Collaboration: The repurposing of the old hockey arena into a greenhouse was driven by local leadership and volunteers. Volunteers, including local high school students, pitch in to help with planting, watering, and harvesting, making it a true community effort.
• Fire Department Support: In early spring, when water lines freeze, the local fire department brings in their trucks to refill the greenhouse’s water barrels, keeping the plants hydrated.
• Winter Veggies: The hydroponic system grows up to 2,400 plants at once, ensuring fresh greens like lettuce and herbs even in extreme winter conditions with only one hour of daylight.

The Inuvik Community Greenhouse is more than just a place to grow food. It serves as a gathering space for the entire community, acting as a hub for local yoga classes and events, and there’s even a café that provides space for people to relax. The greenhouse is a vital resource for local families and businesses in Inuvik, NWT.

Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C), a national leader in youth agricultural education, plays a crucial role in fostering agricultural literacy across the country. Through engaging programs and initiatives like Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month (CALM) and thinkAG, AITC-C, alongside ten provincial members, help young Canadians explore the diverse career opportunities in agriculture and agri-food. With a strong focus on sustainability and innovation, AITC-C empowers students to understand agriculture’s pivotal role in society, the environment, and the economy.

As an advocate for youth education, AITC-C actively participates in initiatives that advance its mission. A key example is its involvement in the Tri-National Agriculture Youth Council Working Group, which reflects with AITC-C’s commitment to empowering young voices in agriculture. By integrating Canadian perspectives into North American discussions, AITC-C is helping to ensure that youth voices are heard, bridging knowledge gaps and building resilient, sustainable rural communities.

The youth council, under the guidance of the North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN), aims to empower young voices across Canada, the US, and Mexico in shaping the future of the agriculture and agri-food industry.

The idea for the youth council took root at the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) meeting in Denver, where Kalysha Hanrahan, thinkAG manager for AITC-C, and other agriculture professionals from across North America gathered to empower rural communities by promoting innovation, skill development, and information sharing.

Although the conference included discussions on youth inclusion, Hanrahan and her peers felt there was a need for deeper integration of youth perspectives in these critical conversations.

Recognizing the need for a platform where youth could genuinely engage, they set out to create the youth council—a dedicated space for young voices in agriculture.

“I'm no stranger to hearing that [agriculture is] a difficult industry to come into and find your place in when you're a younger person, so I think groups like this help ease youth into that. It creates a safe space to enter into agriculture,” says Hanrahan.

The Great Canadian Farm Tour got into the festive spirit today by visiting a Christmas tree farm in Prince Edward Island!

Bryce Drummond, who co-owns and operates Drummond’s Christmas Tree Farm, showed us where and how they grow Balsam firs for the holiday season.

Here are some fun facts we learned during the tour:

• A Waiting Game: Growing a Christmas tree takes an average of 8 to 12 years! Most trees are about seven and a half feet tall when they’re sold during the holiday season. Drummond’s Christmas Tree Farm plants about 1,000 trees a year!
• Lots of Hard Work: Farming Christmas trees is very labour-intensive. They plant the seedlings, shear the trees, apply fertilizer and mow between the rows by hand. The only machine used on their farm is a chainsaw for cutting down the trees!
• Environmental Benefits: Real Christmas trees are more environmentally friendly than artificial Christmas trees. Used Christmas trees can be taken to farms for goats to eat (they can be used as a natural dewormer for goats and sheep!), used as windbreaks around PEI or composted. Did you know one acre of Christmas trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people? Drummond’s Christmas Tree Farm has 12 acres of Balsam firs, that’s enough oxygen for 216 people!
• No Bears in PEI: The biggest pest on the farm is ants. They can kill a Christmas tree within a year!

We had so much fun learning about Christmas tree farming with students from across Canada! If you missed the tour, catch the recording here: WATCH THE TOUR

The next stop of the Great Canadian Farm Tour Season 4 is on Wednesday, November 20 at noon ET. We are visiting the most northern commercial greenhouse in North America in the Northwest Territories! You can register for that tour here: REGISTER FOR THE TOUR

Thank you to Farm Credit Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for supporting the Great Canadian Farm Tour!