Farming shows science to North-east youngsters
The Royal Northern Countryside Initiative has had the livewire idea to invite fifth and sixth year pupils from 10 schools in Moray and Aberdeenshire to a day on the farm showing them an insight into
links between science, agriculture and the countryside. It's an approach that manufacturing and business would do well to consider an emulate if Scotland is to attract its young into the science and technology side of work.
The visit to Burnside of Tynet, Clochan, near Buckie, was organised by the Royal Northern Countryside Initiative and is the first time the organisation has taken its annual science and the countryside event to Moray. It has in previous years been held at Dunecht Estates, near Aberdeen.
RNCI chairman Martin Birse said the day on the farm, run by the Thomson family, had been hugely successful.
Pupils were given a variety of tasks by their Scottish Agricultural College tutors that combined farming principles with biology, business education, chemistry, geography, home economics and physics.
Other demonstrations were provided by Turriff Agri Parts, Norman Morrison Contractors and butcher Paul Smith, of Mason Lodge, near Aberdeen.
The teenagers were also shown how a global positioning system benefits farmers by allowing them to better target inputs such as fertiliser as well as record crop yields from specific parts of fields.
RNCI project officer Sheila Stuart said pupils from Buckie, Elgin, Forres, Keith, Lossiemouth, Fochabers, Portlethen. Turriff and Westhill had taken part.
They have all now been set a task to develop a PowerPoint computer presentation to show the conclusions they reached. Trophies will be awarded for each subject, as well as an overall shield.
The volunteers who helped stage the event including Rhind's of Elgin, Spey Larder, Claymore Dairies, Rizza's and Highland Cuisine, all of whom assisted with providing lunch were duly thanked as were sponsors, the Dr E. M. Cruickshank Trust, Dunecht Estates, Quality Meat Scotland, the Crisp Malting Group, Agrovista and Bowlts.
Source: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/