Pupils of St Martin's Primary, Dover
Lady Joanna Thornhill class, Wye
More than 3,000 school children attended a special show yesterday to learn about farming and rural issues.
The Kent County Agricultural Society hosted its annual ‘The Living Land’ event at the County Showground in Detling Hill, Maidstone.
Children aged seven to nine from 64 primary schools across Kent got the chance to handle animals, watch a variety of shows and demonstrations, and learn about where different fruits and vegetables come from.
The event also gave children the opportunity to experience different aspects of farming, horticulture, conservation and the environment, as well as covering important aspects of the school curriculum.
Skye Hodgson, eight, of St Martin’s Primary School in Dover, said: “Today has been really fun, I’ve learnt a lot, like what fruit and vegetables are and where they actually come from – I definitely want to come back next year.”
Entertainment included displays showing traditional rural crafts, country pursuits and farm equipment, a sheep and duck show, stools with representatives from The Hawking Centre, The Working Horse Trust, Kent Beekeepers Association and Nick Leggatt - a dairy farmer.
Josephine Wood, chair of the Kent Guild of Spinners Dyers and Weavers, said: “The children all seem very excited about the event and our stall. They love the hands on experience, feeling the wool and excited to have a go at all the different equipment we use.
“We have a stool which tells the tale of a woolly jumper from start to finish so the children can understand where their clothes come from, going through the process and showing them how it all started.”
The Kent County Agricultural Society held its first annual agricultural show in Gravesend in 1923 until 1939, then a three-day show was held in various parts of the county and from 1947 to 1963 two-day shows were held at Mote Park in Maidstone.
A permanent site was then found in Detling in time for the 1964 show until the present day.
A society spokesman said: “It is hoped that the pupils and teachers benefitted from the day and that the children came away with a better understanding of where food comes from and the processes involved in its production.”
These are the schools which took part in the ‘Living Land’ event.
Maidstone:
Mereworth Community Primary School
Benenden C of E Primary School
Brunswick House Primary School
Archbishop Courtenay Primary School
Kingswood Primary School
Harrietsham C of E Primary School
Sutton Valence Primary School
East Farleigh Primary School
St James The Great Primary School, East Malling
St Marks C of E Primary School, Aylesford
St Georges C of E Primary School, Wrotham
Colliers Green Primary School
Ashford:
Egerton C of E Primary School
Ashford Friars Prep School
Lady Joanna Thornhill Primary School, Wye
St Theresa Roman Catholic Primary School
John Mayne C of E Primary School, Biddenden
Medway:
Bligh Junior School, Strood
Chattenden Primary School, Rochester
Kingfisher Primary School, Chatham
Temple Mill Primary School, Rochester
Tunbury Primary School, Walderslade
New Road Primary School, Chatham
Holywell Primary School, Upchurch
Featherby Junior School, Gillingham
Stoke Community School, Rochester
Ridge Meadow Primary School, Chatham
Dover:
Green Park Community Primary School
St Martins Primary School
Sandwich Junior School
Sholden C of E Primary School, Deal
Sandown School, Deal
Whitfield & Aspen School
Folkestone:
Mundella Primary School
Park Farm School
Greatstone Primary School, New Romney
St Nicholas C of E Primary School, New Romney
Swale:
Bobbing Village School
Eastling Primary School, Faversham
South Avenue Junior School, Sittingbourne
Bysing Wood Primary School, Faversham
Bredgar C of E Primary School, Sittingbourne
Queenborough First School
St Edwards RCP School, Sheerness
St Peters Catholic School, Sittingbourne
Woodgrave Primary School, Sittingbourne
West Minister School, Sheerness
Canterbury:
Preston Primary School
Chislet C of E Primary School
Goodnestone C of E Primary School
Hoath Primary School
Swalecliffe Community Primary School, Whitstable
St Edmund’s Junior School
Thanet:
St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School, Margate
Wellesley House School, Broadstairs
Newlands Primary School, Ramsgate
Sevenoaks:
St Lawrence C of E Primary, Seal
Tunbridge Wells:
Bidborough C of E Primary School
Cranbrook:
Sandhurst Primary School
Dartford:
Fleetdown Junior School
Craylands School, Swanscombe
Gravesend:
The Bronte School
Singlewell Primary School
Westcourt Primary
POSTED: 09/05/2008 12:43:33