ience experts visit schools in region to promote year of food and farming
Three leading scientifists from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany in Cambridge will take food and farming to the classroom when they visit primary schools in the region this month.
The visits will promote the National Year of Food and Farming campaign which was launched last September by Prince Charles at his Highgrove home and will run until August. Its aims are to help children find out more about the countryside and where their food comes from through memorable, first-hand learning experiences.
Mike Day, who is responsible for the vegetable trials programme at NIAB, along with fellow scientist Dr Lydia Smith, will visit senior pupils, while seed specialist Jane Taylor will join Mr Day on visits to the younger age classes.
Mr Day will present two illustrated talks, "Root or Shoot", which looks at some favourite dishes like pizza, exploring the ingredients and their origins and describing basic plant structure. His second talk, "From Plough to Plate", will focus on major crops grown in the UK, such as wheat and oilseed rape, and how they are used in food production.
Dr Smith will use models to describe simple genetics, and explain how characteristics are inherited and selected by plant breeders. The models will help children understand dominant and recessive characters. Jane Taylor will display a range of seeds, matching them to silhouetttees on card.
Mr Day said:
"The Year of Food and Farming is a great opportunity to reconnect children with agriculture to help them understand where their food comes from. I hope it will also generate enthusiasm for growing seeds and plants and open their eyes to the great range of fruit and vegetables that are available in this country."
Between 13 – 20 March, the team will be visit primary schools in Foxton, Fordham and Holywell; the Guildhall Feoffment in Bury St Edmunds, and Ixworth Middle School, near Bury St Edmunds; as well as St Laurence's primary school in Cambridge. A visit is also planned to Coleville Primary School, Cambridge on 23 June.
