Partners for Progress
--Debi Blair, Pioneer Hi-Bred

Pioneer belongs to a program called "Partners for Progress." This is an alliance between local businesses and schools. One of our school partners is a grade school. The school is located on a main street in Des Moines and we had a VERY cooperative principal. We ripped up about a 10 by 20 foot patch of their lawn and set up a small plot of hybrid corn. We went out and helped them hand plant the seed. Then they took turns signing up for a week to weed and water through the summer. This let them see the entire growth process from spring planting to fall harvest. We kept this plot going for several summers. It was a nice way to "advertise the alliance" by putting a Pioneer "test plot sign" out front, and gave the children a chance to work with the plants. If we do this again, I would suggest planting different varieties or some interesting mutants. The older children could then make observations.

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