The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Modern Farms turns ONE! June 15 is the one year anniversary of Modern Farms, a children’s book by Prattville, Alabama author and former Ridley Block Operations animal nutritionist, Jackie Nix. This picture book provides an “ag-accurate” glimpse into farming for children PreK through 2nd grade and is available at leading online booksellers, including Amazon.com.

Nix was highly motivated to create this book. “We have an epidemic of adults who think modern farming is bad or even harmful.” She explains that far too many adults have skewed ideas on farming that resemble childhood books with red barns, antique tractors, and pigs in mud holes as “real” while modern technology represents “factory farming” or “big ag”. “I realized that stereotypical childhood books become their default idea of farming as they enter adulthood unless they are given more accurate portrayals.” That’s when she decided to use her real-world ag experience and artistic skills to create ag-accurate books for young audiences.

Modern Farms, proudly introduces children to the farm to store journey of many of their favorite foods and the specialized farms where they grow. Modern Farms covers a wide variety of farming operations from row crops and livestock to fruits and vegetables. Use of rhyming verse and bright colorful illustrations bring the real story of where our food comes from to life.

Modern Farms is a perfect book for classrooms and libraries across the country to pass along our shared love of agriculture.

It is also a perfect gift for the little future farmer in your life!

There is also a companion Modern Farms Activity Book available to keep your little ones occupied with hours of fun and learning.

Readers’ Favorite gave Modern Farms 5 stars.

“Author Jackie Nix writes in an easily accessible style that is bound to reach kids and teach them valuable lessons on how farming provides us with all the nourishment we need to survive and how modern farms function in general. The illustrations by Jackie Nix and Karen Light bring a bit of color to the proceedings and make the story all the more fun to read. Modern Farms is a delightful read meant to encourage future potential farmers to take up farming.”

Jackie Nix is the founder of Moo Maven, as well as a first-time author and illustrator. She has enjoyed a long and diverse career in agriculture as an animal nutritionist and agriculture Extension agent. She is also an accomplished agriculture stock photographer. You can contact Ms. Nix at JackieN@moomaven.com.

Learn more about the Modern Farms book at www.moomaven.com.