Wellingborough primary school receives visit from farmer to talk about how food is grown

Pupils at Croyland Primary School in Wellingborough were delighted to welcome Farmer Luke to their classroom for an interactive workshop organised by Kids Country, the educational arm of the East of England Agricultural Society.

The class said: “I enjoyed listening to the farmer, and how many fascinating facts he shared about his crops and that you don’t always make a lot of money if a crop is damaged by weather, pests or disease.

"I also learnt about what machinery was used and that when it is harvest time, the farmer must harvest through the night sometimes to harvest crops such as wheat before the rain ruins them.”

The afternoon included an open discussion of all things farming, including what can be grown in a metre square of land, which Farmer Luke revealed would grow enough potatoes for 150 bags of crisps.

Kids Country work with local farmers, including Farmer Luke, to deliver workshops and activities directly into schools, helping more of the next generation of consumers understand the benefits of eating locally and in-season, and what the agricultural year looks like from month to month.

Kids Country’s Sandra said: “We are always delighted to bring one of our friendly farmers into schools; children can learn so much about eating healthy, in-season food when they speak to the man or woman who grows it, and also gain an understanding of how pressures such as the weather can have such an effect on crops.

“We are set up to bring our activities into schools, so there is no need for schools to worry about arranging transport, and that has been really popular with teachers this year especially, making sure children have these field-to-fork experiences whilst reducing the cost of the event to schools.

“We think that children learn best when education is delivered in a hands-on and imaginative way, and of course food, farming and countryside topics lend themselves so well to that.

"We already have lots of bookings for the 2023-24 school year as well as the opportunity for schools to enter popular annual events including our Winter Warmer Soup Challenge, so do get in touch.”

Kids Country work with thousands of primary school children every year to being food, farming and countryside learning directly into the classroom and playground, and if you think your primary school could benefit from an activity delivered directly into school, contact [email protected]

To keep up to date with upcoming Kids Country events, please visit: Events - Kids Country (kids-country.co.uk) or follow Kids Country UK on Facebook, twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.