EDMONTON – Students at an Edmonton school spent two days at the recent Farmfair International show learning how they are fed.
They talked to farmers Andy Haarsma about grain, Dieter Kuhlmann about vegetables and Dan Young about bison.
It didn’t take much to convince Young to make the trip from his farm near Alberta Beach, Alta., to talk to students from George P. Nicholson School about agriculture, bison and food.
“I don’t think kids know where their food comes from,” he said.
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He couldn’t bring in his bison, but using an IPad, he showed the students his animals and how he had made soup from bison bones the day before.
Kuhlmann brought vegetables from his market garden to teach students how he grows his tomatoes, onions and peppers.
“Anytime you can enlighten schoolchildren what happens on the rural scene, that’s important,” he said.
Teacher Marcie Syme said her students knew virtually nothing about agriculture and were keen to take part in the Farm to Fork pilot project.
While watching dogs herd a flock of sheep, the students thought they’d heard “hurting the sheep.”
They had never heard the word herd and needed it explained. It was also the first time they saw a pig and a cow up close.
“They just don’t have a clue,” said Syme, who added that the pilot project is worth continuing next year.
“I love this kind of thing.”
The students learned about food, nutrition, measuring, math and listening skills.
“I think it’s fabulous,” she said. “It’s really life learning.”
Northlands agriculture director Paul Lucas said 4,000 students are registered to come through Farmfair and the Amazing Agriculture program over the 10-day show.
“We want to bring the country to the city and teach them their food doesn’t come in a box.”
Mark Hughes, executive chef with the Edmonton Expo Centre, supports projects such as the Food to Fork program.
“I like to see their enthusiasm. If there are 100 kids going through here, in 10 years I might get one back as a cook,” he said.
“I hope it grows and more kids will see what it takes to raise the food. It’s not just something that comes from Mom’s kitchen.”
