39th Annual Bread Fair Set For February

The 39th Annual Bread Fair is set to take place over the first two weeks of February (pending scheduling with all the schools).  

"Due to COVID-19 restrictions, I will be traveling to the individual schools and/or doing a virtual bread fair with the schools," said Kelly Leo, North Dakota State University Extension Williams County agriculture agent.

The Bread Fair is organized and facilitated through the NDSU Extension Office, Williams County. It is an event where 5th grade students from across Williams and McKenzie County get to experience the hands-on process of making and baking bread. Leo said, "The goal of the Bread Fair is to educate students about the importance of wheat in their daily lives and to understand the where, what and how their food comes to fruition."

Leo explained that they do the Bread Fair at 15 schools in Williams and McKenzie counties as well five Montana border schools, which totals to over 700 students.

"This event has been revered by teachers as "the favorite activity of the year" as students learn, hands-on, how wheat becomes bread. It serves 5th grade students as they discover "The Story of Wheat."  The curriculum comes from the ND Wheat Commission which will be provided to the schools in advance of the Bread Fair so that the students can learn about wheat prior to the event," stated Leo.

The Bread Fair is different this year because schools are not traveling and gathering in large numbers. Therefore, Leo will be making many trips out to the various schools to conduct the event. 

There are several sponsors that make this event possible including the Hard Spring Wheat Show Board, Horizon Resources, Dakota Mill, LeSaffre (Red Star Yeast), Huelsman Honey, North Dakota Wheat Commission, NDSU Extension McKenzie County, and NDSU Extension Williams County.

For more information on The Bread Fair, feel free to contact Kelly Leo at 701-577-4595.