I had the pleasure of joining around 1200 school children from 60 schools across the Scottish Borders on Tuesday as they sampled first-hand the experience of running a farm, producing food, and working in the rural economy.
The event from the Border Union Agricultural Society at Springwood Park in Kelso was fantastic.
It was planned by the society to give children of all abilities in Primary 5 first-hand experience of rural life and managing the environment. Its theme was “responsible consumption and production”, which is goal 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Over 50 individuals and organisations attended the event to give local pupils insight and offer interactive demonstrations on food production, tending farm animals and operating machinery.
It was great to see the excitement and enthusiasm of the pupils as the Border Union Agricultural Society and their volunteers brought the curriculum to life.
About a thousand pupils from all over the Borders got the chance to experience rural life and take part in fun activities while learning about the importance of protecting our environment and producing local food.
The pupils clearly had a great time learning all about how farmers look after the land and protect our natural environment. The event was very worthwhile and seems to have made a really positive impact on young people.
Bringing the countryside to the heart of the curriculum for a day was a fantastic success. It showed young people just how much fun they can have farming, producing food and helping the climate.
These kinds of informative experiences are wonderful to watch and hopefully some young people are inspired to become involved in farming or help produce the first-class food we make here in the Borders.
Congratulations to the Border Union Agricultural Society, and all the volunteers and sponsors who helped make the event happen, for running such a successful day.
