Hertfordshire Schools’ Food and Farming Day
Around 1,000 year six primary school pupils were given a fascinating insight into the origins of the foods on their dinner plate at the Hertfordshire Schools Food and Farming Day, held on Tuesday 4 July.
The event, run by Hertfordshire Agriculture Society in conjunction with Hertfordshire County Council and Hertfordshire Primary Heads Forum, provided an interactive experience enabling children to explore, touch and taste different foods, learn about healthy eating and their local environment.
Cllr Caroline Clapper, Hertfordshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education, Libraries and Lifelong Learning said: ‘We want Hertfordshire to continue to be a place where our children and young people thrive, with the knowledge of how to live healthily and protect their local environment.
‘More than half of Hertfordshire’s land is farmland, so it’s important that children and young people are given the chance to understand the origins of food, the importance of agriculture and the benefits of local produce.
‘This event is also helping to encourage young people to make informed choices about their diet by helping them to understand the nutrition of different foods.’
Held at the Herts County Showground in St Albans, the day’s activities provided Hertfordshire’s primary’s school pupils with a wealth of information about food grown in their local area and how to eat well.
Children also enjoyed hands-on experiences with farm animals, found out about local crops, took part in a butchery demonstration and had tractor rides and watched an entertaining and informative sheep show, complete with dancing sheep!
The event was supported by the presence of numerous local partners, including the Royal Veterinary College, Rothamsted Research, Capel Manor, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the National Farmers Union.
There was also a tent with representatives from the Police, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue and the East of England ambulance service giving pupils an idea of the work they do in Hertfordshire to keep people safe and well.
In addition to the Food and Farming event, Hertfordshire County Council has also supported the development of educational resources for schools. The Life on the Farm Challenge developed by Hertfordshire Agricultural Society in collaboration with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (ADHB), enriches environmental education locally. The Amazing lunchbox story, promoting healthy eating, has been specially created for the Hertfordshire Schools Food and Farming Day.
Sarah Moreland, Executive Director, Hertfordshire County Show, said: ‘I’m delighted to have been able to welcome so many children and schools to our food and farming day, following the successful pilot last year. This year, we’ve been able to upscale the event to accommodate more than 1000 children, and we are already looking to build upon this again next year.
‘This year, we expanded all the food groups to provide more opportunities for the children to interact and try things out; from learning about our British sugar to growing food from waste, plus learning about the big farm machinery and the modern technology used to operate them and the importance of animal welfare and low food miles.
‘A special mention should go to Herts County Councillor Terry Douris who has been with us on the journey from the outset, we appreciate the support. We are already planning 2024.’
Tracy Prickett, Executive Head Teacher, Howe Dell Primary School and Chair of Hertfordshire Primary Heads Forum, said: ‘It was fabulous to watch the fascinated faces of so many young people as they absorbed new knowledge through interactive and ‘hands on’ experiences. Not only does this open young hearts and minds to the diversity of living in Hertfordshire but also gives them a taster of careers for the future.’
Find out more about the Schools Food and Farming Day by visiting: Schools Day | Hertfordshire County Show (hertsshow.com).