Tractor tour offers food for thought to pupils

Ten tractors toured all 62 of the region’s primary schools to educate children about food production and agriculture, and all but six took advantage of the opportunity to find out more.

The event was arranged by the Royal Highland Education Trust, and all the tractors deployed were supplied by Borders farming companies.

Lynn Hodgins, headteacher at Knowepark Primary School in Selkirk, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Royal Highland Education Trust tractor tour.

“The children enjoyed looking at the tractor, having their photographs taken with it and asking questions of the driver.

“We were keen to support the charity and to help promote the work they do to support children’s learning about the local rural environment, farming and agriculture and local food producers.”

Moira McDonald, a class teacher at St Margaret’s RC Primary School in Hawick, said: “The children were very enthusiastic about getting to see the tractor.

“They are finalists in the charity’s farmhouse competition too,d so this only adds to their excitement for that.

“It is really great to see that enthusiasm to learn in their faces.”

The trust also collected recipes from schools to collate in a recipe book featuring produce from the Borders.

Allan Murray, the trust’s chairman for the Borders, said: “The tractor tour aims to 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.”

At the end of the tour, the tractors converged on Harrison and Hetherington’s St Boswells’ auction mart.

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP Calum Kerr was among those there, and he said: “So many children turned out, and it is great to see their excitement and enthusiasm to learn all about the industry.”

Videos from the day can be seen at www.facebook.com/TheSouthernReporter