City pupils get farm insight
RONAN Maddocks knows all about how a farm works after visiting the Downlands College agricultural plot with his classmates last week.
The Holy Name Primary School student was among a big group of prep and year one children who visited the college as part of an AgForce open day.
They spent the whole day checking out cows, chickens, sheep, crayfish, native fish and crops while learning all about how their food starts at the farm and ends up in the supermarket.
AgForce co-ordinator Ashley Cooper said they were thrilled to be striking up a partnership with Downlands College so more city kids would have the opportunity to see how a farm works without having to drive out of town to do so.
"At AgForce we really believe in kids learning the paddock-to plate concept," he said.
"A farmer came into their classroom to speak to them about it, and now they're on the farm seeing it in action - so it all sinks in.
"The best part of the day for me was sitting down to lunch, because you could hear all the kids saying things like 'I'm eating bread that came from wheat and my butter came from a dairy cow'. You know they've stopped seeing food on a plate and have started to see a whole production process."
Mr Cooper said any school interested in a farm day can contact him on 3236 3100 or email coopera@agforceqld. org.au.
