Heifer’s Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas Show Real Heart

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Brooke Edwards

This Valentine’s Day, don’t just go through the motions of gift-giving – get a special Valentine’s gift that will benefit others long after the heart-shaped chocolates are consumed. The gift of a flock of chicks, a llama or honeybees that help lift families out of poverty is the ideal present for Valentine’s Day.

Heifer International offers heartfelt and unique gifts for Valentine’s Day that celebrate a person’s sweet side. Each animal, along with extensive training, is given to a family in need, providing better nutrition and marketable products. As the animals grow and reproduce, the family’s livelihood improves; and they become benefactors themselves when they fulfill the commitment to Pass on the Gift of their animal’s offspring to another family.

Heifer Valentine’s Day gifts are touching and impactful. For example, see the changes in the small village of Carromata in the Philippines, which was bogged down in illiteracy, poverty and malnutrition after a new dam altered the river that had been its lifeblood. Heifer International’s LOVE project (“Life-giving Offerings and Values-enrichment for Empowerment”) provided water buffalos, pigs, chickens, vegetable seeds and fruit tree seedlings to families there, as well as values-based and technical skills trainings.

Canoto Budong manually strips his Abaca to get the fibers. Photo courtesy of Heifer International.

Now, LOVE participant Canoto Bodong happily says sweet potatoes, taro and cassava are improving his family’s diet, and project families are growing abaca plants, whose fiber is valued by paper makers and the automotive industry. The community plans to set up its own fiber-stripping machine to expand its production.

Children in Carromata play as Abaca fibers dry along the river bank of Tago. Photo courtesy of Heifer International.

Heifer International’s Valentine’s Day infographic shows that 80 percent of women have received a gift with no thought behind it, according to a recent survey. So instead of expensive but impersonal chocolates, baubles, or flowers that wilt all too soon, this Valentine’s Day give something that will honor him or her – a Heifer International gift that spreads the wonderful feeling of making a difference.

Check out our special selection of Valentine’s Day gift ideas to find the right gift for your sweetheart.

From the Field: Looking Back and Going Forward

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Erin Snow

This weekly post shines a light on a handful of stories from Heifer.org’s “From the Field” section.

To determine how to get where we want to go, it helps to know where we’ve been. With this in mind, the Philippines government adopted the Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) in 2000. This tool promotes evidence-based policy formulation that targets many Filipinos who are living below the poverty line. In addition, it helps the country achieve its Milennium Development Goals (MDG). Heifer Philippines staff recently attended the CBMS-Philippines National Conference to learn what direction the national and local governments are headed on the issue of poverty and how we can work together to empower residents to achieve food and income security.

Nazar with his pig Mashok

Nazar is a teenage boy from Hushakert, Armenia. He has always thought about ways to make money, so when he joined a YES! Youth Club, he decided that the time was right to start his own business. After his business plan was approved by Heifer Armenia, Nazar received a financial grant to start raising pigs. His first activities have been so successful that he is making plans to expand his business.

When her husband sustained paralysis in half his body after an argument over land, Chandrarekha Paswan became open to ways to support her family. An opportunity came through Heifer India with Mithila Women Empowerment and Sustainable Livestock Program. Seeing something special in her, Chandrarekha’s fellow group members asked her to be the group’s Certified Animal Health Worker (CAHW). With hesitation, she accepted their request and soon discovered her knack for working with animals. Through Chandrarekha’s contributions, life is better for her family and her whole community.

This Holiday Season, Give the Gift of Animal Care

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Casey Neese

When a family becomes a Heifer project participant, it almost always involves animals. We’re known around the globe for providing livestock and training to help smallholder farmers overcome hunger and poverty. These animals provide much-needed nutrition, but they also serve as catalysts that improve the family’s livelihood through the sale of wool, milk, honey, or the like, allowing a family to improve their living conditions and attain more education.

Mrs. Madeline Nole Quispe of Peru at her veterinary medicine cabinet. Photo by Jake Lyell, courtesy of Heifer International.

But these small farmers cannot do it alone. To keep their livestock healthy and viable, families need access to veterinary services and expertise; but in many countries this animal care is limited or non-existent. This is where community animal health workers come in. These “para-vets” learn valuable skills like animal health, husbandry, breeding, nutrition and housing, and they can fill an important need when local professional veterinary care isn’t available.

Irene Pandosen is a community animal health worker who helps Heifer project participants in the Philippines. Right after her training concluded in 2010, she was put to the test when almost all of the swine in her community were inflicted with a viral disease that affects pregnant pigs and causes miscarriage, premature birth, or even death of the mother and piglets. Irene coordinated closely with the provincial veterinary office to control the outbreak, and as a result, only four pigs owned by the project participants died (compared to more than 50 owned by non-members).

Irene with her family and sow. Photo by Jun Dom-oguen, courtesy of Heifer International.

“The epidemic was the turning point. [Prior to the outbreak] most of the families doubted my knowledge. They would ask me things about animal diseases and how to control them, and then go to the veterinarian and ask the same question to see if my answers and explanations were the same,” Irene said. “I take every opportunity to learn so that I can give good service. I talk to veterinarians and research every time I find an opportunity. I take learning as my responsibility to my group and to the community as well.”

Irene has gone on to become a local expert in artificial insemination. This technology means safer and more efficient breeding of pigs — farmers no longer need to transport large boars over poor roads and rugged terrain. Farmers pay Irene directly for her artificial insemination services, and she has seen her income increase about 15 fold as this enterprise has grown to include other members of her family.

This year, you can donate a Community Animal Health Worker Kit to provide quality animal care through our gift catalog. For $200 (or $20 for a share of a kit), you can honor a loved one with a gift that helps people like Irene care for livestock in the communities where Heifer works.

This post is part of our What to Give series, where we’re helping you choose the best Heifer gift for your loved ones. Read previous What to Give posts here, and subscribe to the What to Give series here.

Still don’t know what to give? Check out our entire online Gift Catalog.

Information for this post was contributed by Jun Dom-oguen and Karla Narcise-Rodulfo, Heifer Philippines

A community animal health worker practices her trade at a Heifer project in Magupange Village, Philippines.

Community Animals Health Workers in the Philippines

Community animal health workers tend to a goat at a Heifer project in the Philippines.

Heifer Philippines Continues Rehabilitation Efforts

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Brooke Edwards

Rehabilitation work is underway in the Philippines to help Heifer International project participants begin the long recovery from Typhoon Bopha, which struck the southern island of Mindanao on December 4, 2012.

Elmer Negros and his son, building a makeshift cabin in the place where their house used to stand. His wife watches while washing all the clothes that got soaked during the Typhoon Bopha. Their house was totally destroyed by the typhoon. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

Philippines country staff has asked Heifer International for $50,000 in immediate disaster rehabilitation funding to help provide short-term food relief and materials to repair homes and a feed mill, such as tin for the roofs and raw feed ingredients for surviving animals.

At the headquarter of HEED, Heifer's local partner in Santa Josefa. Staff and volunteers preparing bags of rice for distribution to the families that have nothing to eat as a consequence of the Typhoon Bopha. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

On Saturday, representatives of the federation of self-help groups (SHGs), organized by Heifer Philippines country staff, met with HEED, the local partner, to discuss and schedule procuring and distributing supplies to help families who were affected. For Heifer, 366 families in two projects in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, were significantly affected, with homes damaged or destroyed. More than 250 pigs were lost, as well as 90 goats. Rice, corn and banana crops were significantly damaged.

A banana plantation, destroyed by Typhoon Bopha. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

The groups also met with representatives of Save the Children and World Vision to help coordinate rehabilitation efforts and food supplies. Heifer regional staff plans to meet December 21 in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, with the SHGs and HEED to discuss longer term rehabilitation planning.

Florita M. San Miguel, a Heifer participant, with her pig and recently born piglets. They were born right after Typhoon Bopha hit Santa Josefa. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

Between today and December 23, Hercules Paradiang, Heifer Philippines country director, and his team, will work with the SHGs and HEED to secure, repack and distribute food and roofing materials for repairs. Then, between December 21 and 24, members with carpentry skills and others will be divided into groups to help repair and rebuild homes that were damaged, as well as distribute and help prepare food as needed.

Ariel Alcantara, a neighbour of Santa Josefa, in front of what remains of his house. It was almost destroyed by Typhoon Bopha. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

Between December 26-29, crews plan to reconstruct the feed mill warehouse, and then on December 30-January 2, 2013, to purchase raw materials to put the feed mill back in operation by January 2, 2013. Between January 8 and 10, 2013, Heifer Philippines staff, along with the self-help groups and local government units, will provide Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) workshops to five Heifer project communities.

The workshops, which help families prepare for and endure emergencies and disasters, had been planned for December 4-7, but was canceled because of Typhoon Bopha’s assault on the island.

Heifer International plans to send a World Ark writer and photographer to the Philippines in late January to visit the impacted area and report on the families, as well as ongoing CMDRR efforts across the country to better prepare families for disasters such as Bopha, lessons that can be shared with other Heifer International communities in high-risk areas around the world.

Heifer Philippines Staff Assess Typhoon Bopha Damage

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Brooke Edwards

Heifer International sent a photographer to the Philippines over the weekend to document damage from and record existing state images in the wake of Typhoon Bopha, which struck the southern island of Mindanao last week with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains. The photographer will return to the area in late January, along with a World Ark writer to record the situation and report on long-term agriculture rehabilitation plans.

Update 12/12/12: The following photographs are preliminary photographs; images from the professional photographer will be shared as they are made available.

Meanwhile, Heifer International country staff in the Philippines continues to assess damage in the south from last week’s typhoon strike, and to help prepare for the rehabilitation efforts that will be needed to help project families get back on their feet.

Hercules Paradiang, Heifer Philippines country director, and his team are also working and talking with other nonprofits that are experienced in disaster response, as well as a federation of eight Heifer-organized self-help groups that have been supporting relief efforts since last week and will play an important part in on-the-ground rehabilitation work.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has also assumed direction of NGO efforts and is discussing longer-term rehabilitation partnerships.

Officials said 647 are confirmed dead, with another 780 missing. Total affected population is 487,364 families, or 5,412,140 people in 30 provinces in eight regions. Estimates of overall damage are as high as $173 million.

Specific to Heifer, at least 366 families in two projects in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, were significantly affected, with homes damaged or destroyed. More than 250 pigs were lost, as well as 90 goats. Rice, corn and banana crops were significantly damaged, and initial estimates from Heifer communities place damages at $550,000.

Heifer Philippines country staff is asking Heifer International for immediate $50,000 disaster rehabilitation funding to help provide short-term food relief and materials to repair homes and a feed mill, such as tin for the roofs and raw feed ingredients for surviving animals.

Update from Heifer Philippines Staff

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Brooke Edwards

Initial Philippines’ post-Bopha assessment shows loss of animals, crops

Heifer Philippines country staff continues to assess damage from Typhoon Bopha, but project officers and partners in the Sta. Jose community in South Philippines are reporting a number of homes damaged or destroyed, drowned livestock and lost crops.

Photo credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video, used under Creative Commons license.

According to Hercules Paradiang, Heifer Philippines country director, 366 families in two projects in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, were significantly affected, with every family’s home either damaged or destroyed. More than 250 pigs were lost, as well as 90 goats. A building owned by a community group, comprising a feedmill and raw materials for feeds, which were just purchased, was also damaged.

Staff is reporting significant damage to rice, corn and banana crops in the fields as well. The reports, which are still sketchy and unverified, are trickling in due to continued difficulty reaching and communicating with families and staff in the field. Initial estimates of damage to Heifer’s projects overall is $550,000.

The official death toll from Typhoon Bopha, which roared ashore early Tuesday with 160 mile an hour winds, the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, stands at 418 with 383 missing and hundreds injured, according to the Philippines national disaster agency.

The storm has weakened and is moving slowly north-northwest toward the South China Sea, with central winds of up to 68 mph and gusts of up to 87 mph.

Aid continues to pour in from pre-positioned government stores, and international aid organizations are responding to the immediate, short-term needs. Heifer staff in the Philippines and at the headquarters office in Little Rock is collecting updates and information to prepare for the rehabilitation work that will begin soon.

In that, Heifer Philippines country staff will work with project families to repair and replace homes, replace lost livestock, repair animal pens and replace and replant crops.

“Right now, our role is to give the government and first-responders the room to do their work, to help the families who need them so badly,” said Mahendra Lohani, vice president of Heifer International’s Asia/South Pacific area. “Then, when some order is restored, we will work with families and partners to rebuild their farms and shore up and restore agricultural production.

“Only that will provide them the resources and assets, such as income, food and goods for sale, that will start the real long-term recovery that is so important to a sustainable life.”

Updates will continue to be provided as events warrant.

Heifer Philippines Update

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Brooke Edwards

Heifer Central Philippines Projects Unharmed; Impact on South Being Reviewed

Heifer Philippines country staff report that project communities in the Central Philippines, which received high winds and heavy rains from Typhoon Bopha, suffered no damage, injuries or other adverse impact from the storm, so efforts are being directed at understanding the impact in the South in the Caraga region—Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte.

Photo Credit NASA Goddard Photo and Video

Assessments are expected to take several days as staff is being dissuaded from moving too quickly into affected areas as it may create expectations of immediate relief, a service Heifer is not positioned to provide.

“In an emergency like this, the urgent need by affected communities is to get immediate help like food, clothing, water, etc., within the next 24-48 hours,” said Hercules Paradiang, Heifer Philippines country director. “These needs are being met for now by the government and emergency response agencies, so it is not yet the appropriate time to go visit individual families to ask questions related to rebuilding or rehabilitation at this point.

“We will respect the request to delay, but will collect other information about livestock, agricultural impact, infrastructure, etc., from the province or municipality National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and provide it back to headquarters.”

Paradiang has been able to determine that 439 homes were damaged in Heifer project communities, of which 422 were partially damaged and 17 destroyed.

Across the Southern Philippines, rescue teams continue to try to reach isolated communities Wednesday in the wake of Typhoon Bopha, which struck the southernmost island of Mindanao on Tuesday. The death toll is estimated at 270, with reports that 170,000 people were forced to flee their homes.

The storm, dubbed “Pablo” in the Philippines, made landfall early Tuesday (the Philippines is 14 hours ahead of Central Standard Time in the United States) with sustained winds greater than 160 mph—the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.

Rescue teams are reporting seas of mud, upended trees, toppled electrical poles and flattened buildings or lost roofs in their search and rescue efforts. Wide areas of the island are without electricity for the second day, including one of Heifer’s primary regions, the Caraga, and the government continues to use trucks and boats to bring supplies of food, blankets, medicines and cadaver bags to stricken areas.

The Philippines weather bureau said that Bopha, which means “blossom” in Khmer, is expected to exit Philippine territory by late Thursday.

Provincial officials in Mindanao are estimating the economic damage to infrastructure and agriculture could run into billions of pesos (tens of millions of dollars), with several bridges cut, roads washed out, power lines severed, and banana, coconut, vegetable and rubber plantations ruined.

Updates will be provided as events warrant.

Heifer Philippines’ Staff OK, but Homes Damaged, Animals Lost in Typhoon

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Maegan Clark

Photo Credit NASA Goddard Photo and Video

Heifer International Philippines country staff are all reported to be okay after Typhoon Bopha, with top sustained winds of 130 miles per hour, slammed into the Southern Philippines early Tuesday, setting off landslides, uprooting trees and destroying fragile homes in its path.

Hercules Paradiang, Heifer Philippines country director, said that while staff are safe, with one staff member’s parents’ home under water, damage is being reported among project families, including loss of homes, livestock, animal pens and fodder. There is no word on injuries or conditions of families at this time due to limited communications and impassable roadways.

“We are very pleased to hear that Heifer staff members are safe,” said Steve Denne, Heifer’s chief operating officer. “We are working to learn more about the situation there and the impact upon Heifer project partner families, so that we may, as quickly as possible, support long-term agricultural recovery.”

According to Paradiang, a Farmer’s Field School for swine was destroyed in one project community, and 250 homes were damaged, with 75 of them destroyed in another project area, along with damage to animal pens and lost feed and fodder. There has been a definite impact on animals, but an assessment will be needed for a better understanding.

Immediate needs of those affected by the storm are being met in the short term by the government, which pre-positioned goods and services, and by immediate-response agencies suited for the kind of work needed in the aftermath of a storm such as this.

The United Nations also plans to begin an official damage assessment in the country Wednesday, and Heifer staff in Little Rock continues to reach out to colleagues in the Philippines for updates and information about project families and their possessions.

What is known, from news reports, short-wave broadcasts and other official sources is that the nearly 400-mile wide storm has killed a number of people (unconfirmed reports range from 43 to as high as 80), according to the Philippines News Agency, the country’s official news outlet.

The death toll is expected to rise once soldiers and police gain access to some far-flung villages isolated by floods, fallen trees and downed communications, but more than 57,000 people have been directly impacted as the storm demolished houses and stranded people in two Mindanao regions and parts of the Visaya islands.

A Philippines governor says at least 33 villagers and soldiers drowned when torrents of water from the powerful typhoon rushed down a mountain, engulfing the victims. Gov. Arturo Uy said the victims included villagers who had fled from their homes to a village hall, which was swamped by the flash flood. An army truck carrying soldiers and villagers also was washed away.

By mid-afternoon Tuesday (the Philippines is 14 hours ahead of Central Standard Time in the United States), a weaker Bopha headed for the Sulu Sea in the late afternoon, the Philippines weather service said. But it continued to soak a wide area with heavy rain, raising the risk of mudslides and flash floods.

The storm, dubbed “Pablo” in the Philippines, had blown up into a super typhoon at one point Monday as it moved over the ocean, with sustained winds greater than 160 mph—the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean—but it weakened before making landfall over the city of Baganga.

Officials in the Philippines report that early warning of the storm allowed people to prepare. Tens of thousands of people sought safety in evacuation centers and government shelters.

Because so many Heifer International project communities are in areas sensitive to climatic events—hurricanes, fires, floods, mudslides, etc.—country programs develop Community-Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) plans to help prepare for and to mitigate events just such as this.

In the Philippines, identified as Heifer’s No. 1 country of concern for natural disasters due to typhoons and tropical storms, staff have instructed families how to prepare for events such as Typhoon Bopha, teaching them how to secure livestock and feed, to harvest ready crops for food for the family and to secure water and firewood. They’ve also been instructed to safeguard important papers, education material and cash and where to go for safety and shelter.

Heifer program officials plan to conduct an evaluation of the planning in the Philippines following Typhoon Bopha and to use the learnings to strengthen and improve the program so that all country offices and projects benefit from the disaster preparedness trainings.

Updates will continue to be provided as they become available.

Reaping the Fruits of Hard Work

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Heifer Philippines

A Heifer International project participant works at a food cooperative in the Philippines

Jane Lutong at work at the Barangay Food Terminal in the Philippines

Story by Jun Dom-oguen and Marifee A. Lucaney; Photos by Jun Dom-oguen

Over the past three months, Jane Lutong began to reap the fruits of her hard work and has gained empowerment through participation in Heifer International’s project in Bauko and Sabangan, Philippines. Barely 10 months after receiving gifts from Heifer — including a gilt (a young female pig) — Jane was able to sell eight of the pig’s offspring.

“I am lucky with the gilt I received because it costs more than the project budget per gilt, I added one thousand pesos to be able to get the gilt, which was really big and matured. True enough, just after the original placement celebration, the gilt already was in heat so I mated her immediately. She gave birth after four months and I fattened all the piglets,” Jane says. “I sold eight of them which gave me a gross sale of [US $1,364] I still have one left in preparation for my pass on. I am again taking care of three piglets, which my mother pig gave me for the second time.”

Jane is a very active self-help group member, and she is very proud to say that she has perfect attendance at all the group’s activities.

“I strongly believe that the success of the cooperative is due to the fact that they are living most of the cornerstones we learned from our project. These include full participation, accountability, sharing and caring, genuine need and justice, training and education and spirituality,” she says. “There is also good leadership and all are committed to the cooperative vision. We have started with good foundations, which are Heifer’s Cornerstones.”

Jane is also a very active member of the Maggon Rural Improvement Club (RIC) in Maggon, her community. As a demonstration of her personal development, she was selected to represent Maggon to the National Organic Agriculture Congress in Baguio City in June. “I can’t believe that I was able to present the result of our earthworm composting project during the Congress to the Secretary of Agriculture of the Philippines. I was trembling at first but my self confidence really grew, thanks to our Heifer project, which honed my skills in public speaking. Who would have thought that a sixth grader in me could speak in public and teach others about a technical subject?” Jane said proudly with a big smile.

Jane used part of the proceeds from the sale of her pigs to renovate an old house inherited from her parents. As if the universe conspired to bring her luck, their Rural Improvement Club (RIC) project (called Barangay Food Terminal) was approved. She leased the renovated house to RIC for a very minimal amount. At the same time, Jane became the sales clerk of the terminal.

“I accepted the offer because I can still take care of my pigs while doing the job. I also practice what I learned from the recording and book keeping training I attended sponsored by Heifer International,” Jane says. “I will only get 30% of the net income of the store, but it will help our self help groups as it will also serve as an outlet for our products — especially vegetables.”

Jane enthusiastically took on more duties, leading the monitoring of families and livestock to update information for each pass on. She reported that 20 families were ready to pass on in September based on the sizes of livestock offspring. “I will be happy if all the members of this project will be able to pass on gifts by November. The earlier the better so that other families will have the opportunity to receive gifts. It will also be an honor for our community if we pass on early,” Jane says.

Since Jane is also a member of the feed formulation group, she had the opportunity for a co-learning visit to the Sun Jin Feeds Milling factory in Bulacan. “My goal was to learn more about feed formulation, taking into consideration that Sun Jin feeds are better. True enough, I was able to see the processes of feed formulation from preparation to packaging. I was able to validate the facts we learned – that quality ingredients give quality feeds, and in formulating grower feeds, it is very important that crude protein should be 18% because if is less or more, pig growth will be affected. I think we are now really ready to formulate our own feeds.”

With several months to go before project completion, Jane continuously demonstrates the levels of impact Heifer wishes to see from the partner families. From a reserved mother, she is now gaining the respect of her fellow partner families as she is empowered to lead others by example and hone her skills and develop leadership capabilities, not only for her benefit, but in service of the community.

Editor’s note: This post is part of a series that follows the progress of specific families, starting at the beginning of their work with Heifer. You can read the first post about Jane Lutong and her family here.

Jane’s newly renovated house which is now a Barangay Food Terminal.

Jane feeding her new fatteners (second generation offspring of her pig)

Make Your Own Thermometer

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Linda Meyers

Every week we feature a fun and/or educational activity you can try at home or in the classroom. We have recently begun mailing our Gift Catalog for this year’s holiday season and will be featuring activities, like how to make your own thermometer, that highlight the items available.

A new offering in this year’s catalog is the Community Animal Health Worker Kit. In many countries, access to veterinary care is limited, so Heifer International trains individuals to become Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) and teaches them animal health, husbandry, breeding, nutrition and housing. This kit can include a thermometer, stethoscope, hoof trimmer, scalpels, gloves, disinfectants and even important medicine.

CAHW and students. Photo courtesy of Heifer International.

A basic piece of equipment a CAHW carries is a thermometer. For today’s activity, you will learn how to make our own thermometer, and learn how they work.

Make Your Own Thermometer Materials:

Tap water
Rubbing alcohol
Clear, narrow-necked plastic bottle (11-ounce water bottles work well)
Food coloring
Clear plastic drinking straw
Modeling clay

Photo source: Energy Quest

Pour equal amounts of tap water and rubbing alcohol into the bottle, about 1/8 to 1/4 full. Add a couple of drops of food coloring, and mix. Put the straw in the bottle, making sure it doesn’t touch the bottom. (Do not drink the mixture.) Seal the neck of the bottle and keep the straw in place with the modeling clay, so the straw stays in place.

Wrap your hands around the bottle and watch what happens. Just like a real thermometer, the mixture expands when warmed. This liquid no longer fits in the bottle, so it expands into and up the straw. If the bottle got very hot, the liquid would come up through the top of the straw.

Watch your thermometer throughout the day and see how the liquid changes. What happens if your thermometer is in shadow or in sunlight? What happens when it gets colder? How does wind affect the thermometer? Of course, you will need to a real thermometer that is carefully calibrated to get an accurate reading but this is a great way to see how it works.

For more details on this make your own thermometer activity and others, go to Energy Quest’s website.

Read about Irene Pandosen, a CAHW and Heifer project participant in the Philippines.

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