Youngsters get a hands-on Fairtrade lesson at local farm

Feb 25 2010 by Alison Lowson, Blairgowrie Adv

YOUNG visitors to a Blairgowrie farm will get special hands-on lessons in Fairtrade, as part of events to mark Fairtrade Fortnight.

Educational visits to The Co-operative Farm at Blairgowrie, during Fairtrade Fortnight (February 22 to March 7), will include a cookery session using Fairtrade bananas from The Co-operative, which are sourced from plantations in South America and the Caribbean.

Local schools visit the farm as part of The Co-operative’s “From Farm to Fork” initiative, designed to bring food and farming to life for primary school children.

The youngsters experience for themselves where food comes from, and how to create healthy meals and snacks.

Fairtrade Fortnight is the annual celebration of Fairtrade, aimed at raising the profile of FAIRTRADE Mark products, which help producers in developing countries by guaranteeing fair prices and providing an additional social premium to fund vital community projects.

School visits to The Co-operative’s farms during the two weeks will focus on Fairtrade issues, and children will cook their own Fairtrade banana muffins to take home to their families.

Maggie Hart, From Farm to Fork Co-ordinator at Blairgowrie, said: “Children are always interested in what we do at Blairgowrie, but Fairtrade Fortnight is an opportunity for us to talk about where food and drink like bananas, chocolate and coffee come from … and I’m sure the banana muffins will be very popular.”