Educational news for schools & teachers at Old MacDonald’s Farms for Schools in Essex & East London

We have told you before about LEAF (Linking Education and Farming….who thinks of these names eh?) and their important work in educating the public into understanding about the food they eat whilst encouraging farmers to open their farms to visitors, particularly on Open Farm Sunday.

Well they have now issued a progress report, very comprehensive, that re emphasises the importance of care in Agriculture, of sustainable food, of careful use of water, of reducing nitrogen use for fertilizer and of people buying locally and seasonally. The report “Driving Sustainability” is long and detailed but if you want a copy then email us on info@omdfarm.co.uk and we will be delighted to send you a copy.

Meanwhile on Open Farm Sunday, this year on June 9th (the day after Peppa Pig and part of the Starlight Weekend too) we will have special displays and talks on farming in Essex and hope that you too will be enthused. That was almost poetical. But not quite.

Old Macdonald gets lots of information from various people on many subjects in which he knows you would be interested, but recently received two reports from Dr Bob Bloomfield of bio-Diverse regarding topics of key importance to the Environment and Sustainability. One is particularly relevant to gardeners as it is a summary of the report done by a parliamentary committee on insecticides and their impact on bees and insects, which is something he has covered in previous items on this website (and you should know about them, Old Macdonald may well ring you up and ask questions about his previous work!)

The report raises concern about a wide range of chemicals in use in insecticides at present and criticizes DEFRA, the government department responsible, for not taking action earlier. Well worth reading Bob’s views and we will be happy to email them to you if you contact us directly on info@omdfarm.co.uk

The other important article written by Bob (what a productive man he is) is on the loss of the rain forests and again Old Mac reminds you that he has also put this on the site before……..check at once or he could get stroppy. This is entitled Lost Tribes or Global Stewards and raises the matter of tribes living in rainforests in their traditional ways and how they have protected the forests since time began and suggests that this must be recognized so their natural desire to improve their standard of living can be maintained and continued.

Again email us on info@omdfarm.co.uk for the link to this article or you could contact Bob through his website www.bio-diverse.org.