More than 1,600 primary school children from across Devon got ‘Farmwise’ on Tuesday and saw for themselves where our food comes from and how it’s made.
We invited Key Stage 2 primary school children from more than 40 primary schools, and they rolled up their sleeves and got stuck into a range of activities.
It’s the 13th time this annual event at Westpoint has been held and the event is a collaboration between us, South West Norse, Devon County Agricultural Association, and Mole Valley Farmers and takes place at Westpoint.
This year it was attended by our Chair Caroline Leaver, our Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, our Chair of the Farms Estates Committee Henry Gent, our Cabinet Member for Highways Dan Thomas and leader of the Reform Group Councillor Michael Fife-Cook.
Farmwise offers children the chance to engage in a multitude of sensory activities and experiences offered by a mix of producers and farmers, including first generation tenant farmers from our Farms Estate.
The event is split into different sections, arable, environmental, vegetables, fruit, food, pigs, beef, poultry, sheep to enable kids to have a thorough understanding of the work that our farmers do, and kids got to meet Trevor from the ‘Sheep Show’ and his wonderful dancing sheep, which explained the connection between sheep and the wool found in our textiles.
Through the ‘Burping Cows’ exhibit, children were introduced to the environmental issues surrounding methane gas, while there was also an exhibit with remote controlled robot sheep dogs
Other exhibits included delivering a lamb, which involves a sheep simulator, a cuddly toy and copious amounts of gloop and a pig’s carcass.
Deborah Custance Baker has been Chair of Farmwise Devon for the last seven years and this was her final event and she said:
“I’ve loved every minute of it; it’s been a great honour and it’s going to be in good hands.
“We always have such a long waiting list for schools, and we wanted to do something about that and during my time as chair we got the mobile unit on the road; last year through our outreach work we visited 15 schools and this year we hope to build on that.
“And very soon we will launch the Farmwise website and that will be the go-to resource for children who want to learn more about where their food comes from.
“I’ve enjoyed my time as chair immensely and helping children understand the work that goes into producing the food that they eat.
“It is wonderful to see the children get up close and be able to feel so many different aspects of food production. The children have always got wide smiles on their faces as they get stuck into the activities, which means they’re not just learning about farming and rural life, they’re genuinely enjoying the experience.”
Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, our cabinet member for rural affaiars, said:
“It was great fun and it’s so important for children to have the chance to see, touch and smell the things that our farmers are producing and to see the work that goes into it and what food looks like before it gets on supermarket shelves.
“It’s events like this that show why we should never take the food we produce for granted; and how we look after the environment can impact on all of us.
“And it’s all thanks to the organisers and our tenant farmers who turn out every year, give up their time to talk to children about what they do, and in doing so hopefully they have inspired the next generation of farmers.
“Agriculture is such a vital part of Devon’s economy, and our Farms Estate gives people who are interested in agriculture the opportunity to get their feet on the ladder. This is an opportunity that otherwise is very difficult to find, and I want to thank them all for their participation.”
Farmwise 2025 is organised in partnership with Devon County Agricultural Association, Devon County Council, Southwest Norse Group, Mole Valley Farmers, Dartington Cattle Breeding Trust, Devon Farmers Benevolent Fund, Aviagen UK lid, P.D Hook and supported by lots of industry leaders and groups.