The Prince of Wales reaffirmed his pledge to bring schoolchildren closer to the land last week, when he became the first farmer to welcome visitors at part of the Year of Food and Farming.
To launch the year-long campaign, the Prince welcomed over fifty primary and secondary school children to Duchy Home Farm, reiterating his concerns about young people’s knowledge and understanding of the food chain.
Along with his farm manager, David Wilson, the Prince rolled up his sleeves and helped the students, from Oathall Community College and Avening Primary School, make bread from scratch, understand more about the management of Highgrove’s cattle and sheep, and try out their cultivation skills in the farm’s veg fields.
The Prince took time during the visit to speak with Oathall Community College teacher and farm manager, Howard Wood, who said: “The new research from the Year of Food and Farming confirms my 35 years of experience: contact with the countryside does more than just give children a taste for fresh air.
“I’ve witnessed the impact that hands-on involvement in the land and with animals can have: from inspiring children about new careers, to giving them a sense of confidence in their own abilities. Food appreciation - growing, cooking, understanding - is a critical life skill. When children in cities can’t identify eggs removed from their packaging, or tell me where cheese comes from, it’s time for schools, farmers and families to take urgent action.”
Diana Boulton, head of Avening Primary School, added: “Although our school has a fairly rural setting, some pupils still struggle to understand how the countryside fits in with the everyday food they eat. We’re delighted to have taken part in this inaugural visit, as we’ve seen at first hand the power of giving pupils direct experiences of the countryside. This summer students picked their first crop from our new vegetable patches - with the produce landing on their plates that same lunchtime. The pupils were so excited to see their salads in the school canteen that they let out a spontaneous round of applause - we knew then that we’d managed to capture their imagination about green things on their plate!”
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