Part 2: Pollinator Patch
The Pollinator Patch from Cabot Creamery Co-Operative
The Cabot farmers want to teach kids about the importance of pollinators in our communities and practical ways they can help protect and preserve pollinator populations. Kids will complete fun activities and learn what pollinators do, why they are important and how they can help protect pollinators!
Learning Objectives for
the Pollinator Patch:
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When I have earned this patch, I will...
• Understand how pollinators help plants make fruits and seeds.
• Discover the many foods I eat, and products I use, every day that depend on the work of pollinators.
• Be able to identify the insects, birds, and animals that perform the role of pollinator.
• Understand the reasons why pollinator populations are in danger in our environment.
• Recognize the ways I can help protect pollinator habitats and populations.
The full requirements for this Patch Program can be found at the https://www.cabotcheese.coop/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Programs_ScoutsandPatches_Pollinators_Booklet_R5-2.pdf.
Continue on this page and our website to go through the steps as we have planned them for our event this year.
Cabot Creamery Farmer Owned Co-Operative
Our Farmer Owned Co-op
Every morning, Cabot farmers get up and get to work. Every morning since 1919, when 94 families from Cabot, Vermont, formed a co-operative to ensure their livelihood. They knew that they were stronger together than they were apart.
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Cabot is owned by 800 farm families throughout New York & New England.
They manage four plants in three states, employing over 1,000 people, who make the best dairy products on the planet. Award-winning cheeses made with love and pride in Cabot and Middlebury, Vermont and Chateaugay, NY. The best premium butter churned with care in West Springfield, Massachusetts. And in Cabot, they're also making light cheddars, flavored cheddars and rich Greek-Style Yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream. Your purchases mean the world to our future.
Agri-Mark products are sold under these brands:
Agrimark Whey and Dairy Protein Logo Mccadam
Many New York Farm Families co-operatively own Cabot & McCadam Cheese, and all the milk that goes through our Chateaugay Plant in New York comes from those New York dairy farms.
We honor your purchases with our commitment to honor quality and collaboration among Cooperative Programs, Stewards and our Farmers. Meet the farmers who are the Agri-mark Board of Directors.​
The farm families that own Cabot Creamery Co-operative love what they do. And they’ve been doing it for a long time—every single day since 1919. Now over 100 years later, we’re proud of our thriving farms, strong communities, and happy, healthy cows that produce the rich, buttery milk that we use to make Cabot’s award-winning cheese and dairy products. We like to think those awards mean we’re doing something right. Of course, you’re a big part of this too. If you love eating our cheese as much as we love making it, then we’ll get to keep doing what we do for generations to come.
We’re in this together—and we’re grateful for your support.
Pollinators
Did you know?
More than 150 of our common food crops, from Avocados to Zucchini, rely directly on pollinators to
move pollen among flowers to facilitate fertilization, which ultimately leads to the development of fruits
and seeds. Pollination by bees, hummingbirds, moths, bats, butterflies, flies, and beetles ensures the
continued existence of millions of plant species, and in turn, of most animal species, including humans.
An estimated one of every three mouthfuls of our food depend on pollinators!
Studies show that pollinator populations throughout the world have been declining, leading to concerns
about the future of our food supply. Disruptions to fruit and vegetable crops are what first come to
mind, but looking at our food web, we quickly discover that pollinators impact more than our produce
aisles. For example, dairy cows consume both clover and alfalfa, two plants that rely on pollinators
for successful seed production. This means, a decrease in pollinators could impact the availability of
products like milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream too!
By completing this Patch Program, you and your group will learn about how choices we make at home
and in our communities can help preserve pollinator habitats and protect these small but mighty
creatures.
Steps to Earning Your Pollinator Patch:
Steps:
Step 1 - What do pollinators do?
Step 2 - Why are pollinators important?
Step 3 - Why are pollinator populations in decline?
Step 4 - How can we help protect pollinators?
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NOTE: In order to remain true to the intent of earning the Pollinator Patch, there are easy activities you will need to complete if not done during the Zoom program.