OUR STORY
El Dorado County Ag in the Classroom is a local, grassroots, charitable organization that provides quality agriculture-related educational resources, programs, and training opportunities to cultivate through education an understanding and appreciation of how important and all-encompassing agriculture is in our daily lives.
Teaching a growing generation by providing high quality educational programs to increase awareness of the importance of agriculture in our lives.
LATE 1990s – Food, Fiber Network
- A few volunteers delivered curriculum to 3rd grade classes.
2000 – Joined w/ EDC Farm Bureau
- Shared staff with Farm Bureau
- Built strong volunteer base
- Laid groundwork for 501c3 status
- Held first Farm Day (10 stations/100 students)
2003 – Achieved 501c3 Status
2009 – Received 1st CDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant
- Piloted Fields of Learning
- Contracted Farm Day Coordinator
2011 – AITC Achieves Autonomy
- Hired Executive Director
- Hired Bookkeeper
- Applied for 2nd CDFA Grant
2012 – Received 2nd CDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant
- Expanded FOL and hired Coordinator
- Piloted Tahoe Farm Day with contracted Coordinator
- Held Teacher Ag Summer Institute
- Grew Placerville Farm Day
- Launched 20 Mile Taste Annual Fundraiser
2014 – Growth Exploded
- Hired Farm Day Coordinator attendance exploded
- Tahoe Farm Day & expanded to Nevada
- Grew Fields of Learning
- Implemented Operating structure, including support Committees
- Launched Educational Video Series
- Established partnership with county Water Agency Partnership
- Piloted Farm, Food, and Fun program
- Held Single Day Teacher Workshops
2018 – Settling In
- Hired Executive Director #3
- Farm Day attendance remained strong
- Continued Success with Fields of Learning and new Farm Partners
- Grew Water Agency Partnership
- Strong community support continued
2020 – Pivot to remote focus
- Paused in person programs
- Built ag curriculum to support COVID-varied educational models
- Launched Agriculture Influenced Mentorship (AIM) with local FFA chapter
- Welcomed new board members and leadership
