The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), in collaboration with Luss Estates and other members of the agricultural community held their annual Food & Farming Days at Duchlage Farm recently. Schools taking part over the two days were: Arrochar, Cardross, Rosneath & Rhu Primary Schools from Argyll & Bute as well as Whinhill Primary from Inverclyde.

Sponsored by the Scottish Government Food & Drink Industry Division, children were able to take part in a variety of hands on food and farming based activities in an attempt to build bridges and understanding between consumers, farmers and producers. Sessions covered dairy, beef, sheep, venison, machinery and bio-diversity.

The workshops were as hands-on as possible allowing pupils to milk Millie the fibre glass cow and to make butter. The 180 children also got to meet the estate’s sheep and Luing cattle supplied by Farm manager Kevin MacKinnon. The machinery provided one of the many highlights as pupils had the chance to sit in the two tractors on display – one vintage and the other state of the art. Many thanks to the MacAdam’s from Callendoune and Alistair Cairns for providing the tractors. Quality Meat Scotland provided a session on labelling of meat products.

Luss Estates Head Keeper Ross Stewart also contributed by providing a deer sessions. This activity at RHET Food and Farming days help children to understand about the deer species, why they need to be managed, how deer management fits into the rural economy and why venison is such a healthy natural meat product.

Ross Stewart, Head Gamekeeper, Luss Estates: "It was a pleasure to play a part in the RHET event, hosted at Luss Estates. It is of vital importance that our young people are educated about game, wildlife, and land management to ensure future generations have the passion to preserve Scotland's natural beauty and essential resources. Understanding the necessity for deer management, as well as the resulting produce, is an crucial part of this."

The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Volunteer Ranger Service provided an essential role in stewarding the groups round the activities, without their help the event would not run as smoothly as it did.

Both the action packed days are designed to give pupils a better awareness of where the food on their plate is produced, plus the importance of the Scottish countryside. These events provide experiential learning opportunities and are an effective and fun supplement to a farming or healthy-eating topic in school and support ‘Curriculum for Excellence’. Despite the wet weather on both days the rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm and spirits of the pupils taking part.

Visiting on the Friday Brendan O’Hara MP for Argyll & Bute said “It was fantastic to take part in the RHET farm visit with Rosneath and Rhu Primary and it was great to see the children take such an interest in where the food on their plates comes from and get a taste of life on the farm.  It was a real hands-on educational experience where children can try a hand at turning cream into butter, wheat into flour and even milk a cow – but not a real one of course.   A huge thank you must go to the farm owners and volunteer rangers who give up their free time to do this and my thanks also to Luss Estates for hosting this particular event on Duchlage Farm.”

Simon Miller, Chief Executive, Luss Estates:
"Luss Estates was again delighted to support RHET in their work by hosting this event at Duchlage Farm. It was great to be able to work alongside the RHET team to show Scotland's rural economy in action. The farm to fork project objectives are clear, and very well delivered by RHET. We are proud to play a small part in the network of landowners, farmers and volunteers who support the work of RHET."