As harvest season rolls across West Michigan, one local farmer is bringing the sights and sounds of the farm straight into children's hands. Kathryn Christie, a fifth-generation Hastings farmer and certified agricultural literacy educator, has just published her first children’s book, The Hibernating Combine, offering a heartwarming, educational look at life on the land.
Christie’s book is the latest offering from her mission to bridge the gap between consumers and the farm under the banner of An Earful of Agriculture. Her work is dedicated to promoting understanding of the farming life happening all around us, especially during key moments like the fall harvest.
The new story, The Hibernating Combine, is designed to be a fun, engaging, and educational read that connects young readers to the daily tasks and seasonality of agriculture. It’s a gentle reminder of the hard work that goes into preparing food and maintaining the machinery that makes it possible.
Families can meet Kathryn and experience her book live at two upcoming local events, both featuring hands-on corn and soybean sensory bins that make for a highly visual and kid-friendly feature. The first reading will take place at The Wild Wood Bookstore on Saturday, October 11th, and the second is scheduled for Hastings Public Library on Tuesday, October 28th.
You can find more details about the new book and her mission by visiting her website: anearfullofagriculture.com, or viewing the book's page directly: The Hibernating Combine.
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