Dingwall special school St Clement’s welcomes visit from the farm!
BUILDING on last year’s fantastic visits to Garguston farm, St Clement’s School in Dingwall continued a very successful partnership with RHET Highland by inviting the farm to come to them.
Children at the school welcomed alpacas, sheep and lambs, tried their hand at butter making, grain grinding - and even ‘delivered’ a toy lamb from a pretend sheep!
George McLaren from McLaren Tractors Limited kindly loaned a tractor for the pupils to sit in.
SEE ALSO:
New schools and roads investment - ‘what’s not to like?’
Mum demands clarity on Highland Council ending ‘absolute disgrace’
Peek behind scenes at Tesco delights St Clement’s kids
Volunteers from RHET - Mike and Katie Martin from Garguston, Fran Matheson, Iain Macdonald, Emma Garrett from SGRPID and Paul Churcher from Highland Pet & Equine Supplies - chipped in to a memorable day of fun learning.
Pupils were able to grind grains to make flour which was used the next day to make their own bread. They also explored the different grains which are grown in Scotland – oats, wheat and barley – and looked at the different things which could be made using them.
They explored different types of fleece, examined sheep horns and worked out which breed of sheep the horn was from.
Paul Churcher very kindly donated bags of alpaca fleece which will be used for craft projects at school.
RHET have also providing seed tatties donated by the Martins of Garguston Farm.
Alison Duncan at St Clement’s said: “Our pupils really learn so much from having the opportunity to have hands on experiences like these and we are all so grateful to RHET for supporting our learning.”
Head teacher Colin Masterson said pupils “had a fantastic farm experience without having to leave the school grounds”, getting “a chance to engage with farming in such a meaningful and memorable way, which is all the more relevant as we live in amongst some of the most productive agricultural land in Scotland”.
He said: “The chance for our learners to touch, smell and interact with the animals and produce afforded them the opportunity to really engage with farming in a safe environment.”
Fran Matheson said: “We were delighted to be asked along to St Clement’s School to deliver an in-school food and farming event.
“It was an absolute pleasure to work with the wonderful pupils and staff, and especially so to see the pupils again following the farm visits at Garguston in 2023.
“We would like to give a huge thank you to all the wonderful volunteers and speakers who supported the event by providing so many different learning stations in a safe and controlled environment.
“We look forward to seeing the progress pupils make for all their planned growing projects this summer, perhaps we can come back for harvest time!”
