by Angharad Evans, Welsh Language Communications Officer
I'm sure that we’ve all enjoyed looking at pictures and reading about our county offices going out to their local schools to celebrate World School Milk Day recently.
Opportunities like this are crucial in order to teach children from a very young age exactly where the food on their plate comes from. As a Union we are extremely fortunate to have members who are willing to do just that, give some of their valuable time to spend with school children to teach them about the importance of agriculture and promote all the benefits of the food they produce.
One who does just that is Dan Jones, and takes advantage of the fact that he farms one of the most popular attractions in Wales, the Great Orme in Llandudno, to educate the public and school children. Dan was one of a number of farmers who took part in our Food, Land and People campaign last year, which focussed on various sustainability issues and highlighted the positive work farmers in Wales do to address sustainable development goals.
As well as educating people at every possible opportunity, Dan, a member of the Union in Caernarfon, also welcomes local school children from Llandudno to his farm on the Great Orme every year in order to teach the children about the importance of farming and to explain exactly where food comes from. Dan has just welcomed the school for their annual visit, and Cornel Clecs had the opportunity to have a chat with him about the visit.
“One of the challenges I find on my farm, and within the farming industry as a whole, is the balance between running a private business and educating the general public about farming issues and food production, explains Dan. “On one hand, farming and country life lend itself to green fields, fresh air and the ability to get on with your work independently, it’s a way of life. On the other hand, it’s evermore important to educate people about food production and how farming shapes the countryside and green spaces enjoyed by so many.
“Last week we had our annual visit from the local primary school, Ysgol San Sior, a nature friendly school with an after-school Eco Club, Egg Enterprise and Bee Hives. This is always a fun morning with enthusiastic Year 1 pupils making the journey up the hill from Llandudno.
“Thankfully the weather was kind and the pac-a-mac jackets and glitter wellies were fitting for this farm walk. Children have a refreshing way of being direct, something as adults we could learn from. First question to the eagerly listening group of 5 and 6 year olds, “Why do we farm?” An instant answer came back “So that we have food to eat”. Impressed by the answer, I asked who had spoken to her about where food comes from, the reply “my Mum”. Impressed that parents are sharing valuable information with their children, I asked, what’s your mum’s name?'' The reply “Mummy”!
“A highlight of the visit is watching Tian the sheepdog herd a group of specially selected ewes (the trouble makers are safely left in the pen!) I try to re-enact the story of “The Lost Sheep” where a stray sheep is reunited with its flock. There have been a few twists in the story line over the years. Last year’s high expectations were shattered when the lost sheep had made a break for it before her curtain call. This year however, much to the delight of the children and to my relief, the ewe was reunited with the flock. Tian is the hero and lapping up all the attention.
“On saying goodbye to the class and fetching Tian off the bus, I reflected on what a rewarding morning it has been. Although Llandudno is a seaside town and not renowned for its strong links to the farming community, it is refreshing to talk to these young people about farming, food and the environment and know that they already have a good understanding of this subject. This kind of public engagement is incredibly valuable and will hopefully help bridge the gap between farmers and the next generation.”
Thank you very much Dan for sharing that lovely story with us, and it proves that the relationship between farmers and the next generation keeps getting stronger, and that children really are eager to learn more about our way of life as farmers, and sometimes of course, there are things we can all learn from them too - children and fools tell the truth!