Discovering Our Countryside was a collaboration between Agriculture 4 U and STC. The aim was to put farming and the countryside right at the heart of the school curriculum.
The award winning partnership created a regular video diary of UK Agriculture. Food Production and the Countryside, each informative program shows what is happening down on the farm and in the rural environment as the seasons progress.
Discovering Our Countryside seeks to capture children’s interest and teach them about the seasonality of UK farming, rural life and wildlife from an early age. As they grow into adulthood this knowledge will be sustained and built on, resulting in consumers who are better able to understand the needs and choices involved in food security, rural diversity and wildlife biodiversity now and in the future.
The seasonality of farming cannot be captured in a single farm visit – Discovering Our Countryside supports such visits with all-year-round, up close insights into the processes by which food ends up on our tables.
A few more details about each partner.
Agriculture-4-U brings:
- 20+ years experience and knowledge of farming and the countryside.
- Teaching experience including Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Photography, videography and web design skills
These skills have already been utilised to set up the Agriculture-4-U website which provides curriculum linked videos of farming and the countryside for teachers to use to enrich their teaching, bringing the farmyard into the classroom at the click of a mouse.
Stockbridge Technology Centre (STC) brings:
Stockbridge Technology Centre working with schools
Experience and knowledge of a leading horticultural research establishment which also provides, through it’s STC schools project, links to education through growing crops with many local primary schools. The company sees an important role in helping re-connect the public with food production and also in promoting the benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables as part of the ‘5-a-day’ campaign.