Lambing Season

It's lambing season at the Oregon State University Sheep Center. Barns are open to the public to visit until March 13th. Tours are self-guided (for groups with 12 or more, please contact the OSU Sheep Center: e-mail: lambing.barn@oregonstate.edu). The barns are open daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. More information is available on the OSU web site.

The library's collection includes information about sheep and lambs. Kim Lewis' Little Lamb (Candlewick Press, 2000) shares the story of little Katie, who feeds a newborn lamb milk from a bottle and observes the lamb discover her farm.

Pick of the Week: Senses on the Farm

Senses on the Farm by Shelley Rotner (Millbrook Press, 2009)

Third in a series of books about our senses by Shelley Rotner (see also Senses at the Seashore and Senses in the City), Senses on the Farm uses photography to depict a sensorial trip to a farm for children. Throughout the book, Rotner invites children to "See the fall pumpkins growing on their vines. Touch a horse's bristly coat. Taste a hand-picked strawberry..." These books are great for realistic images, exploring the five senses, and expanding your child's vocabulary. This is a great book to use in circle time, a farm-themed storytime or before a visit to a farm.

Fall Harvest & Literacy

The Fall Harvest is a theme in the library's Fall Early Literacy Newsletter. It's also a popular theme in early childhood settings such as preschools and childcare centers this time of year. After sharing books about the fall harvest, including books on apples and pumpkins, why not take a trip to a local farm to see how fruits and vegetables grow? This makes for a meaningful expansion on a topic after reading a book on the subject. It helps children create their own narratives about harvest time. It also gives you - the parent or care provider - a chance to talk about the harvest, farms, and fruits and vegetables and add to your child's growing vocabulary! Meaningful and enjoyable interactions like these provide the perfect backdrop for helping build their early literacy skills.

In Apple Picking Time by Michele Benoit Slawson, illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray (Crown, 1994) , a young girl and her family spend a fall day picking apples with others from their small town.

To find a local pick-your-own farm, visit: http://www.pickyourown.org/.