A project aimed at educating the next generation about the links between agriculture and where their food comes from has engaged thousands of Cornish primary school children since it began.

Organiser of the Royal Cornwall Show, the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association (RCAA), launched the 'Farm & Country Days On The Road project' at the end of 2017 to further the reach of their educational work.

The project centres around a purpose-built trailer kitted out with interactive resources and activities which is taken to local schools to help their pupils aged from 4 - 11 learn about farming and food production.

A recent visit to Pencoys Primary School at Four Lanes near Redruth saw the 5000th pupil climb the trailer’s tailgate to participate. Over the past 16 months 61 schools across Cornwall have enjoyed a visit.

Education coordinator and former primary school teacher, Emma Parkyn, leads the RCAA’s educational activities and is enjoying enlightening food consumers and farmers of the future with this important knowledge.

Emma said:

“We try to make it fun and exciting so the children enjoy finding out more about what farming is all about and they often ask some very interesting questions.

“Getting properly stuck in is the order of the day and we have lots of hands on activities to bring everything we do to life, it also fits neatly into various aspects of the national curriculum.

“Our provision is constantly evolving and our latest addition, a life size dairy goat called Demelza that can be milked, has proven a big hit not only with the children but also the staff and parents when we turn up at a school and wheel her out of our trailer.”