Schoolchildren flock back to Farm Wise event
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 Arena 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.
Schools attending:
Goodleigh Church Of England Primary School, Barnstaple
Marland School, Torrington
Feniton Church Of England Primary School
Drake’s Church of England Primary School, Budleigh Salterton
Beer Church Of England Primary School
Sidbury Church Of England Primary School
Marpool Primary School, Exmouth
Mary Tavy and Brentor Primary, Tavistock
Bolham Community Primary School, Tiverton
Bickleigh On Exe C Of E Primary School, near Tiverton
Highampton Community Primary School, Beaworthy
St John’s Catholic Primary School, Tiverton
Kentisbeare Church Of England Primary School, Cullompton
Spreyton School, Crediton
The Erme Primary School, Ivybridge
Clyst St Mary Primary School, Exeter
Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education
Exeter Road Community Primary School
Pinhoe Church Of England Primary School
Blackpool Church Of England Primary School, Newton Abbot
Ashburton Primary School
Chudleigh Knighton C Of E Primary School
Highweek Comm. Primary & Nursery School, Newton Abbot
Bradley Barton Primary School & Nursery Unit, Newton Abbot
Bovey Tracey Primary School
Decoy Primary School, Newton Abbot
Tenant farmers attending:
Ben and Catherine Rowland of Lower Uppacott Farm, Mariansleigh, South Molton
Gordon and Hazel Davis of Westcott Farm, Westleigh
Robin Bowditch, Tarrants Farm, Payhembury
David and Karen Bragg of Higher Artiscombe Farm, Gulworthy
Barney and Marie Butterfield of Lower Parks Farm, Crediton
Marcus and Liz Warner of Lower Henland Farm, Kentisbeare, Cullompton
Louise Moorhouse and Leo Henley Lock of East Fingle Farm, Warnscombe Cottage, Dunsford
Chris and Wendy Richens from Coppa Dolla, Broadhempston, Totnes
Richard Camp of Horse Hill Farm, Ashburton
Chris and Louise Carpenter of Fairfield Farm, Denbury
Keith and Roz Partridge of Duckaller Farm, Port Road, Dawlish
More information is available on the Farmwise website www.farmwisedevon.org
The food and drink industry is worth around £500m in Devon and the agricultural, forestry and fishing industries (including some elements of food and drink) is worth around £300m.
In terms of employment, the food and drink industry employs over 26,000 posts (full time equivalents) and the agricultural, forestry and fishing industries (including some elements of food and drink) around 21,000.
