Language Arts Idea #6 Letter Writing Objective: The students will write letters to request information. Rationale: Are your students interested in finding out more about their favorite fruits and vegetables? You now have at your fingertips the addresses and phone numbers of organizations willing to help out! Materials: List of organizations List of health agencies List of publishers Introduction: * Have students brainstorm questions about fruits and vegetables. * Review with students the correct format for a letter, and draft a class letter to an agency. Individual Activity: Have students write to the organizations that can answer their questions about the particular fruits and vegetables. Many organizations offer free materials, posters, and lesson plans for teachers! Related Activities: * Several of the organizations encourage students to write for recipes or information on buying and storing produce. Have the students bring in the prepared foods to share with the class! Put the recipes together into a class cookbook. * Have the students share orally the information they received from the various organizations. * Invite representatives from marketing boards to come in and talk with classes. * Set up displays in the cafeteria of the material that is received from the various marketing boards. * Ask local markets to donate samples for a Fruits and Vegetables tasting party. * Invite kids to participate in an original fruit and vegetable recipe contest. Try them out and display in the cafeteria. WHERE TO GO FOR MORE INFORMATION American Celery Council 928 Broadway New York, NY 10010 (212) 420-8808 OR American Celery Council Post Office Box 140067 Orlando, FL 32874-0067 (407) 894-2911 Asparagus Growers Association 4565 Quail Lakes Drive Stockton, CA 95207 Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Post Office Box 937 Bard, CA 92222-9999 (619) 572-0524 California Apricot Advisory Board 1280 Broadway, Suite 107 Walnut Creek, CA 94595 (510) 937-3660 California Asparagus Commission 415 W. Foothill Blvd. Suite 102 Claremont, CA 91711 (714) 625-6306 California Cantaloupe Advisory Board 531-D North Alta Ave. Dinuba, CA 93618 (209) 591-5715 California Date Admin. Committee Post Office Box 1736 Indio, CA 92202-1736 (619) 572-0524 California Fig Advisory Board 3425 No. First Street, Suite 109 Fresno, CA 93726-6819 (209) 445-5626 California Fresh Market Tomato Advisory Board 2017 North Gateway Blvd. Suite 102 Fresno, Ca 93727(209) 251-0628 California Fresh Market Tomato Advisory Board 2017 North Gateway Blvd. Suite 102 Fresno, Ca 93727(209) 251-0628 California Kiwifruit Commission 1540 River Park Drive Suite 110 Sacramento, CA 95815 (916) 929-5314 California Prune Board Post Office Box 10157 Pleasanton, CA 94588-2706 (510) 734-0150 California Raisin Advisory Board 55 Union Street San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 984-6261 California Strawberry Advisory Board Post Office Box 269 Watsonville, CA 95077-0269 (408) 724-1301 California Table Grape Commission 2975 North Maroa Post Office Box 5498 Fresno, CA 93755 (209) 224-4997 California Tree Fruit Agreement Post Office Box 255627 Sacramento, CA 95865 (916) 483-9261 Cherry Marketing Institute 2220 University Park Drive Suite 200 Okemos, MI 48864 (517) 347-0010 Dole Fresh Vegetable Company P. O. Box 1759 Salinas, CA 93902 (408) 422-8871 Dole Dried Fruit and Nut Company 7170 N. Financial Drive Fresno, CA 93720 (209) 449-6500 Dole Fresh Fruit Company (818) 879-6600 P. O. Box 5132 Westlake Village, CA 91359-5132 Dole Packaged Foods Company P. O. Box 5500 Thousand Oaks, CA 91359-5500 (818)874-4000 Florida Department of Citrus 1115 East Memorial Boulevard Post Office Box 148 Lakeland, FL 33802 Florida Strawberry Growers Association Post Office Box 2631 Plant City, FL 33564 (813) 752-6822 Florida Sweet Corn Exchange Post Office Box 140155 Orlando, FL 32814-0155 (407) 894-1351 Florida Tomato Committee Post Office Box 140635 Orlando, FL 32814 (407) 894-3071 Florida Watermelon Association 7100 Plantation Road Suite 4 Pensacola, FL 32504 (904) 476-8871 Georgia Peach Commission 328 Agriculture Bldg. Capitol Square Atlanta, GA 30334 (404) 656-3678 Georgia Sweet Potato Commission 328 Agriculture Bldg. Capitol Square Atlanta, GA 30334 (404) 656-3678 Gulf Citrus Growers Association Post Office Box 1319 La Belle, FL 33935 (813) 675-2180 Idaho Apple Commission Post Office Box 909 Parma, ID 83660 (208) 722-5111 Idaho Potato Commission 599 W. Bannock Boise, ID 83701-1068 (208) 334-2350 International Apple Institute Post Office Box 1137 McLean, VA 22101 (703) 442-8850 International Banana Association 1627 K Street, N.W. Suite 910 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 223-1183 National Peach Council Coloma, MI (616) 468-8100 National Watermelon Association 406 Railroad Street Post Office Box 38 Morven, GA 31638-0038 (912) 775-2130 North American Blueberry Council 190 Queen Anne North Seattle, WA 98109-4924 (206) 285-5522 North American Mango Industry Association Post Office Box 4553 Mc Allen, TX 78502-4553 (512) 682-7004 NorthWest Cherry Growers 1005 Tieton Drive Yakima, WA 98902 (509) 453-4837 Oregon, Washington, California PEAR Bureau 813 S.W. Alder, #601 Portland, OR 97205 (503) 223-8139 Papaya Administrative Committee 1100 Ward Ave. Suite 860 Honolulu, HI 96814 (808) 533-3841 The Potato Board 1385 South Colorado Blvd. Suite 512 Denver, CO 80222 (303) 758-7783 Produce For Better Health Foundation P. O. Box 6035 Newark, DE 19714-6035 (302)738-7100 Sweet Potato Council of the U.S. Post Office Box 14 McHenry, MD 21541 (301) 287-9537 Texas Citrus Exchange Post Office Box 793 Mission, TX 78572 (512) 585-8331 Washington Apple Commission 2900 Euclid Avenue Wenatchee, WA 98801 (509) 663-9600 Washington State Potato Commission 190 Queen Anne North Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 285-5522 Watermelon Promotion Board Post Office Box 140065 Orlando, FL 32814-0065 (407) 895-5100 United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association 727 North Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-3410 5 A Day Adventures: Language Arts Idea # 6