LEAF calls on farmers to help educate tomorrow’s consumers
Call for farmers to invite schools onto farms for Open Farm School Days 2015.
Call for farmers to invite schools onto farms for Open Farm School Days 2015
Following the success of Open Farm School Days last year, campaign organiser LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), is encouraging farmers to invite schools onto their farms to enable pupils to gain a better understanding of where their food comes from and the vital work farmers do to manage the countryside.
Open Farm School Days is run by LEAF in partnership with Farming and Countryside Education (FACE), alongside Open Farm Sunday (7th June) – with school visits happening throughout June. Annabel Shackleton, Open Farm School Days manager explains more: “Open Farm School Days provide a great opportunity for farmers to explain to the consumers of tomorrow what farming is all about. The visits educate children about how their food is produced, and gives them the chance to get up close to nature. Free educational resources will be available to farmers hosting visits. This year, we have been working with FACE (Farming And Countryside Education) to deliver a number of free School Farm Visit Workshops*. These half day workshops have brought together farmers interested in hosting school visits offering guidance, ideas and support. We look forward to seeing many of them opening their gates this June to inspire children about farming and how their food is produced.”
Dan Corlett, Chief Executive of FACE highlights why Open Farm School Days is such an important initiative: “It is vital that we all work together to help the next generation learn more about food, farming and the countryside. There is widespread agreement that events such as Open Farm School Days, that enable children to learn in the natural environment and see at first hand where their food comes from, deliver long-term benefits to them and to society.”
LEAF is working in partnership with organisations who already work in this field including FACE, RHET (Royal Highland Education Trust), AHDB, Countryside Learning and The Country Trust.
Open Farm School Days are being run throughout June alongside Open Farm Sunday which is on the 7th June. Open Farm Sunday, which is now in its tenth year, is the farming industry’s national open day when hundreds of farms nationwide will be opening their gates to the public.
Registration for Open Farm School Days is now open at http://www.farmsunday.org/ofs12b/about/Open_Farm_School_Days/register.eb LEAF provide free support and resources for farmers who register.
For more information and to register visit: www.farmschooldays.org – Follow @LEAF_OFS on Twitter or visit www.visitmyfarm.org/
The final FREE School Farm Visit Workshop:
Co-delivered by LEAF Regional Co-ordinators and FACE (Farming and Countryside Education) will be held in April:
- Newmarket: Wednesday, 29th April 1.30-4.30pm, The NFU office, Agriculture House, Willie Snaith Road, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7SN [led by David Jones]
Topics will include planning the visit, contacting schools, through to on farm activity ideas linked to the curriculum.
Open Farm Sunday facts:
- 2006: First Open Farm Sunday took place: 300 farms, 30K visitors
- 2013: Pilot Open Farm School Days took place: 30 farms, 3K children
- 2014: 9th Open Farm Sunday: 375 farms, 207K visitors of which 93,150 (45%) were 0-18 years
