Pupils learn about where their food comes from

A sow with five piglets in a pen with straw beneath them. They are pink with black spots and their ears are covering their eyes.
Ms Custance Baker said Farmwise was "the most exciting day of the year" [BBC]

An agricultural show in Exeter welcomed more than 1,700 primary school children to learn about where their food comes from.

Farmwise took place at Westpoint on Tuesday and hosted pupils from 40 schools in Devon.

A variety of farm animals including pigs, sheep and cows were exhibited with further displays about growing and producing food.

Chair of Farmwise, Deborah Custance Baker, said: "The children can see animals, they can see the end products and what goes into rearing these animals and also how to grow potatoes."

Between 10-20 pale yellow chicks are huddling under a heat lamp in a pen.
Liz Warner said Farmwise is a way of "really connecting children to their food" [BBC]

"Sadly, a lot of children don't really understand where their food comes from," she said.

"So we are here to educate them and help them understand in a really hands-on method," she added.

Liz Warner, a poultry farmer from mid-Devon, showed the children chicks that were four-hours-old, eggs that were hatching and eggs being graded.

She said: "The thing that massively warms my heart is when you've got 30 primary school children sat on a straw bale outside our pen, each holding a chick.

"It's probably the first time they've ever held one and you get some fantastic questions and discussions.

"That's probably the best bit of Farmwise."

Farmwise was organised by Devon County Council in partnership with a number of regional agricultural organisations.

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