Hertfordshire couple bring farm to the city as hundreds of London schoolchildren get their first taste of farming life

Pupils at Pakeman Primary School in Holloway, north London, took part in a range of farming-related activities.

The day was organised by NFU Education as part of a drive to help inner city children learn where their food comes from.

Hertfordshire teacher Victoria Hodge, who lives in Shenley, attended in her role as NFU Farmers for Schools Ambassador.

This is a voluntary position which sees NFU members across the country visit schools to talk about food and farming.

Mrs Hodge, who works as a deputy headteacher in Hertfordshire, visited the London school with her husband James Hodge, an arable farmer who works in Hertford.

They arrived in a tractor decorated in Christmas lights.

Mrs Hodge, who helps to run St Albans Young Farmers, said: “I grew up in farming and it has always been very important to me to help children learn about where their food comes from.

“Many children, particularly in cities, do not get opportunities to experience farming, so days like this are really important to help them to understand how their food is produced.

“The children have been so enthusiastic - I heard one child say ‘this has been the best day ever!’

“It has been wonderful to see their smiling faces.”

Children sat in the tractor and learned how it is used on the farm.

They met farmers who travelled in from across the South and East of England, interacted with farm animals and learned how farmers look after them, learned about different grains and seeds and made ice creams using British ingredients.

All the school’s 340 pupils, aged between two and 11, took part.

Head teacher Emma Bonnin said: “For most children here, this was their first experience of seeing farm animals and meeting farmers.

“The children have been so excited; it’s been wonderful to see their faces light up. Our school has been full of joy today.

“The NFU Education team does vital work in teaching children in a fun way about where their food comes from – that it’s not just from the supermarket.

“They have learned today there is life outside London and the work that goes on in the countryside to put food on their plates.”

The NFU donated hundreds of boxes of food, including fruit, vegetables, eggs, bread, crumpets and cinnamon swirls to the school’s foodbank, with donations from British farmers, Waitrose and Warburtons.

The donations were for parents and carers, some of which are refugees.

Since its inception in 2017, the NFU Education team has educated and engaged more 1.2 million schoolchildren about British agriculture with its wide range of initiatives.