By Andi Anderson
The Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB) has announced Right This Very Minute: A Table-to-Farm Book About Food and Farming as its 2025 Book of the Year.
Written by Lisl H. Detlefsen and illustrated by Renee Kurilla, the book teaches children about the origins of their food in a fun and engaging way. The announcement was made at the 2024 INFB State Convention in French Lick, Indiana.
The book highlights families preparing meals and wondering where their food comes from. Through colorful illustrations, it shows farming operations and the people behind them.
More than a dozen farm types are featured, such as strawberry farms, dairy farms, maple syrup production, wheat planting, and beef farming. Some of the examples reflect farming practices in Indiana, one of the largest agricultural states in the U.S.
This initiative is part of INFB’s Agriculture in the Classroom program, which promotes agricultural literacy among school children. For the ninth year, the INFB Women’s Leadership Committee will lead a statewide campaign to introduce the book in schools across Indiana.
Volunteers will read the book aloud in classrooms, answer questions about modern farming, and donate copies for future learning. A special curriculum will also be released to help teachers integrate the book into their lessons.
Indiana plays a significant role in U.S. agriculture, with over 94,000 farmers working in the state. Programs like this aim to inspire future generations to understand and appreciate farming and food production.
The book’s author, Lisl H. Detlefsen, who lives on a cranberry marsh in Wisconsin, will also host a session at the INFB State Convention to discuss the book’s lessons and its accompanying educational guide.
This initiative combines education, fun, and storytelling to help children understand how their food reaches their table while showcasing the hard work of farmers and their importance in everyday life.
Photo Credit: indiana-farm-bureau
Categories: Indiana, Education