Out of the classroom and onto the farms go students from 77 schools
Agri Aware’s Farm Walk and Talk 2015 took place recently. Organised by Agri Aware, in association with Teagasc, the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers’ Association, and the agri-food industry, the events gave secondary school students a taste of agricultural life, on a visit to Teagasc centres.
The primary objective of Agri Aware’s Farm Walk and Talk is to expose agricultural science students to the practicalities of agriculture.
In addition, students have the opportunity to get advice from Teagasc experts, and learn more about the Irish agri-food industry.
Farm Walk and Talk this year involved more than 2,500 students, from 77 schools across Ireland.
I went along to the Agri Aware Farm Walk and Talk at Teagasc’s Clonakilty Agricultural College, at Darrara.
From silage to sheep to beef to fertiliser, at meeting points throughout the college grounds, students could check out different aspects of farming, with lecturers on hand to answer all the questions that were asked.
There were also representatives from ABP talking about beef, and in the Colleges’ 20-unit milking parlour, a Dairymaster expert advised on milk production.
It was a great day for the students and their teachers, so I spoke to science teacher Diarmuid Crowley of Coláiste Chríost Rí in the southside of Cork city, and asked him and some of his students how their day had gone.
“Agri Aware and Darrara College provided a fantastic experience for the fifth year Agricultural Science students in our school,” Diarmuid said.
“The majority of our students come from an urban background, so it was a great opportunity for them to see the theory they studied put into practice on the farm.
“By rotating around different stations, the students were given access to information about many different areas directly related to the Agricultural Science syllabus.
“The experience served not only to aid in students’ knowledge for the Leaving Cert exam, but provided a variety of materials and information that will contribute to their Ag Science projects.
“I was particularly pleased with the insight students were given into the many jobs available related to the agricultural industry. Students were surprised to learn that farmers are not the only people to earn a living from the agricultural sector.”
And what about the students of Coláiste Chríost Rí?
Eoin Healy said, “it was good to see what we learn in class put to practical use on the farm. We were given lessons on beef, grass management, sheep, soil, fertiliser, dairy and silage. We learned about measuring grass, which was new to me.”
Chiedozie Ogbene thought the facilities were very nice, and that it was a well organised day. “The instructors were very open and very generous towards us the students. We were given good information to help us with our Ag. Science projects.”
Students Diarmuid Kiely and Luke Maloney felt overall that it was a very beneficial day, and they told me they got a lot of new information about the practical side of things and there everyday use.
Fifth year student Dáire Ryan added, “It was good to see things first hand, and I got a better understanding of agriculture. The topics were explained in detail but were still easy to understand.”
It wasn’t only the students who were pleased after the day. Darrara College Principal Majella Moloney said; “We have seen an increase in the number of students studying agriculture over the past few years, along with an increase in students taking the agricultural science exam in the Leaving Cert. Teagasc Clonakilty Agricultural College was delighted to facilitate the Agri Aware Farm Walk and Talk to highlight students’ awareness of the practicalities of modern agriculture.”
