SOME 400 children from nine primary and junior schools across the district have visited farms this summer as part of the North East Hampshire Agricultural Association’s (NEHAA) educational programme.

The programme, which is in its seventh year, gives schools a full day on a farm learning about food production, conservation and the countryside.

The schools from a wider geographic area than in previous years ranged from Basingstoke in the north to Alton in the south and Aldershot in the east. Subsequent to their farm visit the children produce project work on what they have learned during their farm visit.

The schools challenge for NEHAA Education Cup each year. This year’s judges were retired farmer David Houghton and NFU regional director William White.

The judges were enormously impressed by the enthusiasm displayed by the pupils and their teachers for their farm visit and the effort they had put into their project work.

They decided the NEHAA Countryside Cup should this year go to St Michael’s Junior School in Aldershot. The judges were impressed how their project work had involved different aspects of the curriculum including an impressive understanding of the digestive system of cattle.