Schools set to focus on food and farming

Primary school pupils across the region will be getting a visit from a Royal Highland Education Trust tractor on Thursday.

Chairman of RHET Scottish Borders, Allan Murray said: “The tractor tour will make primary school children much more aware of food production and farming in the Scottish Borders. With the help of the recipe book, they will become familiar with what is produced on local farms.”

With a focus on the use of produce from the Borders, the book will feature recipes by celebrity chefs including Ally McGrath of Osso Restaurant in Peebles.

The book will be on sale within most of the Border schools in May, with the proceeds going towards continuing the work of RHET in the Borders.

RHET Borders is hoping the tour will help make schools more aware of the free services the charity provides in the area such as free farm visits for pupils , classroom talks by local farmers, teaching resources and teacher training.

After the tractor tour, RHET will be offering to provide educational talks on food, farming or any other aspect of rural life.

The books will be available on the RHET website and also sold at agricultural shows and at some of the primary schools.

RHET Scottish Borders is hoping the tour will help make schools more aware of the free services the charity provides in the area such as free farm visits for pupils , classroom talks by local farmers, teaching resources and teacher training.

After the tractor tour, RHET will be offering to provide educational talks on food, farming or any other aspect of rural life.

The tractor tour day will culminate when all tractors and their drivers meet for refreshments provided by Harrison and Hetherington at their St Boswells Auction Mart.

Harrison and Hetherington sales director Scott Donaldson added: “This Borders educational event highlights the importance of farming and the rural life to the next generation. As a company with farming at the very heart of what we do, this is a day which H&H are proud to support and be part of.”

The tractors and freebies for all schools during the tractor tour will be supplied by Rose of Lamancha, Thomas Sherriffs and Co, Ancroft Tractors, Lloyds Tractors, George Marshall, Kelso and Lothian Harvesters, Rickerby, Henderson Grass Machinery, and Drew Oliver.