Kids Country serves up food and farming fun for schools in 2022
Kids Country, the food and farming education initiative managed by the East of England Agricultural Society, are thrilled to offer a full calendar of immersive and memorable learning opportunities for primary schools in Peterborough and across the East of England this year.
The programme of events starts with the sell-out Kids Country’s ‘Grow Your Own’ event on 2 March, which will see over 300 Key Stage 1 & 2 children planting their own potatoes and lettuce ahead of the big harvest in June.
Seven local primary schools are signed up for the fully booked ‘Breakfast Week’ in March and April, with spaces left on the November 2022 run of this popular event. School children learn the ‘field to fork’ journey of their breakfast from the comfort of their classrooms, with local cereal (wheat, oats and barley) and pig farmers on hand to bring breakfast to life and help children make informed and healthy choices, supported by Co-operative Central England, Marriages Flour and local pig farmer Thomas Beazley.
Kids Country are also working in collaboration with the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) for the annual Cubs and Scouts Day on 26 March, with this year’s focus on conservation and wild birds.
Children at Braybrook Primary Academy, Peterborough, planting fruit trees with Farmer Luke and Farmer Clive at the ‘Autumn Apples and Pears’ event
Heading into early summer and ‘Happy Chicks Day’ on 4 May is an opportunity for school children to learn about the science of the egg and a day in the life of an egg farmer, as well as important nutrition and animal welfare experiences with the Happy Chick Company.
Kids Country’s flagship event, the Food and Farming Day, takes place on 1 July, with over 2,000 Key Stage 1 & 2 school children already signed up for this hugely popular day full of hands-on experiences supported by local farmers, local food businesses, and conservation and countryside organisations.
Sandra Lauridsen, Kids Country education manager, says: “We are so looking forward to welcoming school children back to many of our events in 2022, especially the Food and Farming Day, which we have had to run as a virtual event for the last two years.”
Sandra continues: “We have been so amazed by the ongoing support of schools, and of course those companies and individuals who support us to deliver these educational experiences, which took place as virtual and ‘event in a box’ Covid-secure events over the last two years. To have these events back in person is going to be amazing!”
Children learn about planting their own vegetables with Barnsdale Garden Centre at the Food and Farming Day (photo from 2019 event)
Following the summer holiday break, Kids Country will resume their Autumn schedule, with the popular ‘Autumn All About Apples’ event, which involves planting an apple tree at your school and cooking a baked apple, amongst other learning and tasting activities. This event runs from 3-7 October, followed by the ‘Winter Warmer Soup Challenge’ and ‘Breakfast Week’ in November.
The Kids Country team have planned the events, including the flagship Food and Farming Day, to minimise risk from Covid-19 infections, whilst also ensuring that children have a memorable and meaningful experience.
To view the full range of events on offer this year, please visit https://www.eastofengland.org.uk/all-events or email slauridsen@eastofengland.org.uk with any questions.
