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Last
summer, over 200 pupils from nine different
Devon primary schools gathered in the Bishop's
palace garden next to Exeter Cathedral for
a big picnic. As well as eating, chatting
and making new friends, pupils were thinking
about where our food comes from. |
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| The
picnic could not take place on a farm because
of Foot and Mouth disease, but the Bishop's
garden was a great second choice. |
© PK Photography, Exeter
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| Pupils
brought along some food that was grown or
cooked locally for everyone to share. Some
pupils brought ice buns, cakes and honey.
Others brought herbs and vegetables that taste
good in a salad. |
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Some
pupils brought in foods that they had grown
or cooked themselves. Bidwell Brook primary
school pupils had grown some cress and mung
beans to bring along. Pupils from Branscombe
primary school brought along their own home-made
bread. This way, pupils learned that some
food is grown or cooked close to home. |
| But
pupils also learned that much of our food
travels long distances before it reaches our
shops and supermarkets. These distances are
known as 'food miles'. |
|
 to
find out more about food miles on the 'Global
Food Chain' page. |
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To investigate
these 'food miles', the pupils were divided
into groups. Each group was given a basket
of foods that we often eat at lunchtime. To
start, the groups had to look at the labels
to find out where the foods had come from.
The foods in the basket came from fifteen
different countries! |
| Next
was the tricky bit. Each group focused on
one food item in the basket. Using a ruler,
a piece of string and a world map, they measured
how far the food had travelled from where
it was grown to Devon. For every centimetre
on the world map, the food would travel about
240 miles in real life. This way, each group
could work out the number of 'food miles'
for their food item. |
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© PK Photography, Exeter |
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 Then
the pupils paced out the number of food
miles for their food item from a central
spot. Each heel-to-toe step represented
240 miles in real life, and they marked
the route with a ribbon. At the end of the
route, they placed their food item and a
label to say where it came from. With 12,700
food miles, a piece of cheese from New Zealand
had the longest ribbon!
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© PK Photography, Exeter |
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Once
all groups had finished the activity, it was
time to think and talk about these food miles.
Does it matter how far foods travel before
they reach us? What are the effects of growing
our food in someone else's fields and countryside? |
| The
day ended with a bit of fun. The pupils from
Exeter Central Middle School performed their
play about food. They had written it all themselves!
Ayodele came to visit too. He played some
African music for everybody. |
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Everybody
enjoyed the picnic and it was good to think
about the way we get our food and the effects
it has on people and environments in other
parts of the world. Perhaps you could try
something like this in your area!
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