Sowing herbs, tasting local cheeses and making smoothies were all on the menu for more than 1,000 Pembrokeshire children enjoying the Grow it, Cook it, Eat it week at Scolton Manor.
Nine to eleven-year-olds from 37 primary schools spent a day learning about food and health at the event, funded by Texaco Ltd, the WDA, the NFU and NFU Mutual.
Pembrokeshire College horticultural students went right back to the roots, sowing herb plug plants from Rhoshill Garden Nurseries of Boncath with the children before learning some basic gardening skills.
Food Centre Wales Cookstart chef Angela Gray also used local produce to teach the kids how to cook; making souffle omelettes with eggs from Harries Eggs and tomatoes from Palmer Tomatoes of Burton, served with harvest salads with local seasonal vegetables from Calon Wen, and a honey-based dressing. Organic milk from Llaeth Bethesda went into smoothies to wash down Haverfordwest Cheese, Pant Mawr Farm, Llanboidy Cheese, Caws Cenarth and Snowdonia Cheese in a Welsh taste test.
Pupils were also given a flavour of life in Britain over 60 years ago by staff at Scolton Manor, who taught them about food rationing in World War Two.
Rangers from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park taught them about the countryside and food production and Food Agency Wales staff had some safety advice.
“Grow it, Cook it, Eat it is about schools taking a holistic approach to nutrition and children making healthy choices, as well as raising awareness of local farming and the importance of supporting local produce,” said organiser Kate Morgan, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Food Officer.
Councillor Sian James, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “It ties in with the county’s recently-launched Food and Health Strategy for Pembrokeshire schools and school-site leisure centres; as well as the work the Council has been doing to promote the use of local suppliers.”
Grow it, Cook it, Eat it is a partnership of Pembrokeshire agencies and schemes, including Pembrokeshire County Council, the Food Standards Agency, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Pembrokeshire College, Food Centre Wales, Cookstart led by Angela Gray, and the Pembrokeshire Local Health Board.
Pictured, left to right, Ryan Pearce, Carli Absalom, Emily Pemberthy and Dyfan Roberts of Haverfordwest VC School with Councilor Sian James, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing.
