The lifting of Covid restrictions allowing children to return to farms has been great timing for spring time visits. It has been fabulous to see some of the wee ones enjoying their first ever bus trips, having been confined to their own covid bubbles for 2 years.

In the Borders this spring, we have taken over 550 children out on 20 farm visits. We’ve had visits to farms who were in the midst of lambing and calving (a special thanks for agreeing to have bus loads of children at the busiest time of year). Lambing is arguably one of the favourite times for visits and feeding pet lambs is something many of the children will never have done and will definitely never forget. We’ve been to mixed farms, hill farms, arable farms and dairy farms all over the Borders. We’ve seen lambs, tagged teachers, weighed classes, been in crushes, sat in tractors, watched sheepdogs, smelt silage, made flour, looked for eggs, watched robots, seen calves, identified plants, found worms, caught insects, planted pumpkins, fed chickens and learned so much! All our farmers go to lots of effort planning the best route, preparing props, talking to the children and explaining all about their farms.

Once visitors were allowed to return to schools we also managed to take pet lambs into some local nurseries which the children adored. They were able to mix some milk powder and feed the lambs their morning bottles.

We are lucky to have very talented speakers who are willing to give their time to visit schools with presentations, props and buckets of enthusiasm. John Seed visited P5/6/7 in both Greenlaw and Swinton primary schools recently, explaining to them about his local farm and poultry enterprise. He also explained to the children the importance of looking after our soil and how it affects everything they eat and drink.

If any schools or children's groups in the Borders are interested in having farm visits, classroom speakers or would like to borrow the early years boxes please get on touch borders@rhet.org.uk or have a look at the RHET website for lots of amazing free resources and information.

Our Early Years boxes have been well travelled since they were able to go back into schools and nurseries. The 4 boxes in the Borders have been in Eyemouth, Peebles, Fountainhall and Hawick already this term.

None of this would be possible without the brilliant team of directors, committee and people who help out quietly in the background. Whether you’ve been volunteering for us, collecting or delivering early years boxes, supplying lambs, making bunting, collecting cows or any of the other jobs that have been asked – thank you!