Living Hope Lutheran School

It's been nearly seven weeks since we visited Living Hope Lutheran School near Shakopee and did our Farm Heritage Program for grades K-4, but as we set up our books on a table in the commons area on Monday of this week, children that pass remember us and say, "Hi." One second grader smiled and said, "I remember you. You're the author who came to our class."
Maybe this isn't the kind of fame that will bring in a lot of money, but it sure makes Nancy and me feel really welcome.
Later, teachers and students gather around the table to look at the books, and parents who are picking up or dropping off their children stop by to browse and chat. Several students read the stories and I show them the preliminary copy of my new book, What I Saw on the Farm. Children and teachers seem intrigued when I tell them the illustrations were done by a twelve-year-old boy.

But today we are doing two shows for preschoolers, and each program will include my story, If I Were a Farmer: Nancy's Adventure.

This is the first group of preschoolers waving to Nancy as she snaps their picture.

Mrs. Menges, far right, is the teacher who arranged my visit to the preschool classes.

After the program, the children line up to take their turn at sticking their hands into the can of oats, as I explain that some breakfast foods are made from oats.

This is the second group watching me demonstrate how to teach a newborn calf to drink from a pail. 

They participate in the demonstration by holding up the two fingers 

that they would use to lure the calf to drink. 

As they feel the oats every student is very careful to leave all the oats in the can.

It's not easy because, as this student proclaims, "It sticks to my fingers."

Nancy and I want to thank all staff members and students at Living Hope Lutheran for welcoming us once again as we visited your school, and we especially thank Bonnie Menges, who arranged our visit.

Performing for these wonderful children is a pleasure for me and having the opportunity to visit with staff, students, and parents over the lunch break was a particularly enjoyable bonus for Nancy and me.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson