Children learn farming skills

Despite the farming sector’s focus on major geo-political world events and the ramifications of the war in Ukraine which have resulted in spiralling inflation, Scotland’s farmers still engaged with 20,000 school pupils over the first week of March.

The Royal Highland Educational Trust’s (RHET) “Talk to a Farmer” week gave school children the opportunity to interact directly with farmers, either on farm visits or on-line, and allowed the pupils to ask questions about farming practices and life in the countryside.

The 27 volunteer farmers involved in the RHET project came from across Scotland, stretching from Donald Ross in the Highlands to Alistair Hodge near Duns in the Scottish Borders.

School pupils tuned in to ask questions of beef, sheep and pig farmers, dairy farmers, and arable farmers growing cereals, using anaerobic digestors to generate electricity and even planting pumpkins for Halloween.

Angela Mill of Shawsmill Farm, Auchtertool received more than one hundred questions said:

“The quality of the questions indicated that the schools had engaged well and were really interested in what we had to say. It’s great to know what so many people are keen to learn more about what we do,” said Mill.

Commenting on the level of interest surrounding the project, RHET’s executive officer, Katrina Barclay RHET’s said:

“We are delighted with not only the uptake from schools during each live session, but the feedback we are still receiving from teachers and the wider farming community on what an important and informative event RHET ran.