Based on the enormous success of last years ‘Farm wise’, Devon County Council farm tenants and primary school children will once again come together for an event designed to take children on the food journey from field to plate.
Approximately 1,400 children from nearly 30 primary and special schools from across Devon will attend the event on Tuesday 14 October, at the Westpoint near Exeter.
The County Council-arranged event, ‘Farm Wise Devon’, will show young people how food and drink is produced on Devon’s farms, with practical demonstrations from 12 council tenant farmers, various agricultural businesses and additional support from the Devon County Agricultural Association, Bicton College, and Devon Young Farmers Club.
Divided into different zones - dairy, beef, sheep, poultry, pigs, fruit, vegetable, arable, forestry, wildlife, food and environmental - farmers will be passing on their knowledge and expertise by involving children in the steps from raw material through to manufactured products that they are familiar with. New this year are the areas of forestry and pigs.
This year sees an enormous range of exhibitors demonstrating the versatile and progressive nature of farming in Devon today.
Chris and Louise Carpenter are tenants of Fairfield Farm, Denbury have maximised the use of their dairy farm to produce icecream.
County Farm tenants Chris and Wendy Richens of Coppa Dolla Farm, Denbury – breed pedigree Limousines which are then made into burgers and sausages and sold in the local shop. Barny and Marie Butterfield, tenants of Lower Parks Farm, Crediton produce an array of Apple juices and ciders .
“This is all about allowing the children to get a real touch, feel and smell of farming and farm production in a safe and fun environment,” said Councillor Jeremy Yabsley, Chairman of Devon County Council’s Farms Estate Committee.
“Devon is a massive producer of food and very important to our county’s economy. The link with education is clear and I feel it’s vital we teach youngsters about food production and all the other rural industries associated with it.”
“We hope that children will come away with an appreciation of where their food comes from and how it’s produced as well as a better knowledge of the farming industry.”
“Another interesting aspect to the day will be to see how farmers are expanding and diversifying into other industries such as tourism, events and different types of food products.”
“There will be some great examples of this on the day and we hope that our tenant farmers will enjoy talking to the children and give them an idea of farming in the 21st century.”
Further funding also comes from sponsors including NPS South West Ltd, Hele Educational Trust, Dartington Cattle Breeding Trust, and Devon-based cheesemakers Parkham Farms.
