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PICTURES: Farming event shows Caithness schoolchildren where their food comes from





Noss pupil Molly Robertson tries out a pair of sheep horns. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Noss pupil Molly Robertson tries out a pair of sheep horns. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios

Primary school pupils from Thurso, Wick and Dunbeath got some hands-on experience of agriculture at an educational event in Caithness Livestock Centre this week.

Around 130 children took part in the Food and Farming Day organised by the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), a charity that teaches about food, farming and the countryside.

RHET volunteers welcomed youngsters from Mount Pleasant, Pennyland, Noss and Dunbeath.

While it was essentially a fun event, the pupils were given important information about food and how it is produced. They were able to learn about traceability, tagging, record-keeping and sheep-handling.

They took part in a mock auction, putting their hands up to place bids, and were shown a calving simulator and a fibreglass dairy cow.

Twins Rossi (left) and Taylor Sutherland from Noss Primary School were among the pupils attending the RHET event at Quoybrae. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Twins Rossi (left) and Taylor Sutherland from Noss Primary School were among the pupils attending the RHET event at Quoybrae. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios

A team from Puldagon farm shop and restaurant cooked burgers in a “farm to fork” demonstration, while Carol Gunn and Nicola Macleod explained honey production.

Caithness RHET representative Willie Budge said Monday’s event had been a great success.

He became a director of RHET Highland in 2020, having been involved in the organisation for about 10 years prior to that, organising classroom talks and farm visits.

“We do sheep, beef, cereals, pollination/bees and dairy,” Willie said. “This year we also had ‘farm to fork’ with Puldagon and that was a new thing.

“It was a great success, and I am always thankful to the people who give up their time to help. The kids loved it.

“We had really good feedback about Puldagon and the honey section.”

Andrew Sinclair celebrated his 60th birthday on Saturday and at the same time raised £300 for RHET. His grandson, Matthew Miller, presented the cheque to Willie Budge, the charity’s local representative, during the Food and Farming Day at Quoybrae. Guests attending the birthday party were asked to make a small donation towards RHET. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Andrew Sinclair celebrated his 60th birthday on Saturday and at the same time raised £300 for RHET. His grandson, Matthew Miller, presented the cheque to Willie Budge, the charity’s local representative, during the Food and Farming Day at Quoybrae. Guests attending the birthday party were asked to make a small donation towards RHET. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios

The RHET volunteers were also grateful to Andrew Sinclair, of Clachan, Mid-Clyth, who had celebrated his 60th birthday on Saturday and raised £300 for the charity. Guests attending the birthday party were asked to make a small donation towards RHET.

The donation will pay for an early years box. These contain agricultural-related resources such as books, puppets, toys and costumes and can be booked for nurseries and P1 or P2 classes.

“We’ve got one already but it’s booked out until the end of February, and that’s only going to schools for two weeks at a time,” Willie said.

“A lot of people give money to charity and think it just goes down the road. It was nice to be able to say we’ll get this box and it’ll be for Caithness schools.

“It was really good of them to think of us.”

The Food and Farming Day is held annually at the Quoybrae mart and all local primaries have an opportunity to attend.

“It’s a three-year rotation – the schools will get a chance every three years, basically,” Willie explained.

Dunbeath pupils try their hand at milking a fibreglass dairy cow. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Dunbeath pupils try their hand at milking a fibreglass dairy cow. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios

“What we’re really trying to get across is where their food comes from.

“To be fair, there was a pretty decent level of knowledge from the kids and hopefully we’re trying to enhance that.

“It’s quite nice when you hear teachers and parent helpers saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t realise that.’ I think they get a bit out of it as well, not just the kids.

“We’re giving the whole story, hopefully.”

The Gunn family from Whitefield, Wick, provided two yearling heifers that were bucket-reared, allowing children to get up close.

“These two were really friendly and keen to see the kids, so that worked really well,” Willie said.

“The whole day was good. The kids enjoy it, and all the speakers enjoy it too. They were all more or less saying they are keen to come back next year.”

Pupils from Mount Pleasant Primary School get a lesson in how to deliver a pretend calf from farmer and RHET volunteer Andrew Swanson. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Pupils from Mount Pleasant Primary School get a lesson in how to deliver a pretend calf from farmer and RHET volunteer Andrew Swanson. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
A packed ringside at Quoybrae is not that unusual – but if these ‘buyers’ look rather young, it’s because they were among the 130 or so primary school pupils who attended the Food and Farming Day organised by RHET. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
A packed ringside at Quoybrae is not that unusual – but if these ‘buyers’ look rather young, it’s because they were among the 130 or so primary school pupils who attended the Food and Farming Day organised by RHET. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Noss Primary School pupils are introduced to sheep-handling. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Noss Primary School pupils are introduced to sheep-handling. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
RHET volunteer Kathleen Gunn explains all about milling cereals to a group of pupils. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
RHET volunteer Kathleen Gunn explains all about milling cereals to a group of pupils. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Hands-on burger-making experience for these Noss pupils under the watchful eye of Greg Hooker and his team from Puldagon restaurant on the ‘farm to fork’ stand. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Hands-on burger-making experience for these Noss pupils under the watchful eye of Greg Hooker and his team from Puldagon restaurant on the ‘farm to fork’ stand. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Pennyland pupils learn all about cereals from farmer and RHET volunteer Ronald Mackay. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Pennyland pupils learn all about cereals from farmer and RHET volunteer Ronald Mackay. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Volunteers who helped run the Food and Farming Day at Caithness Livestock Centre. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Volunteers who helped run the Food and Farming Day at Caithness Livestock Centre. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Noss pupils learn about pollination from RHET volunteer and Olrig and District Beekeepers Association member Carol Gunn. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Noss pupils learn about pollination from RHET volunteer and Olrig and District Beekeepers Association member Carol Gunn. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
On the dairy stand, RHET volunteer Cat MacGregor explains the different types of milk available. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
On the dairy stand, RHET volunteer Cat MacGregor explains the different types of milk available. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
RHET volunteer Selena Swanson gives pupils the chance to try lambing a pretend ewe. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
RHET volunteer Selena Swanson gives pupils the chance to try lambing a pretend ewe. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Eighteen-year-old Bethany Swanson, of Framside, Calder, has become the Royal Highland Education Trust’s first youth ambassador in Caithness. She is pictured with local director Willie Budge. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Eighteen-year-old Bethany Swanson, of Framside, Calder, has become the Royal Highland Education Trust’s first youth ambassador in Caithness. She is pictured with local director Willie Budge. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Scarfskerry farmer and RHET volunteer Ronald Mackay tells some pupils from Noss Primary School all about cereals during this week’s Food and Farming Day, attended by around 130 pupils from four Caithness primaries. The event was held at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Quoybrae centre. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios
Scarfskerry farmer and RHET volunteer Ronald Mackay tells some pupils from Noss Primary School all about cereals during this week’s Food and Farming Day, attended by around 130 pupils from four Caithness primaries. The event was held at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Quoybrae centre. Picture: Robert MacDonald / Northern Studios

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