For the CE1/CE2 students of the Bernaville school, this afternoon did not take place within the walls of their class, to their greatest pleasure. Accompanied by their teacher, they went to visit the farm of Julie Macron, member of the Somme JA office. HAS”This is the second year that I have organized this type of activity. They discover the world of the farm, the animals and understand a little better how we work as farmers“, she specifies. Associated with her husband, she manages a mixed crop-livestock farm of 150 hectares, with the help of two employees. They also have around a hundred dairy and suckler cows: Prim’Holstein and Red Holstein, Brown Suiss and Aubrac.
A fun and educational visit
During the first stage of the circuit, the children were able to discover how a milking parlor works: installation of the animals, cleaning of the teats and frequency of milking, enough to arouse their curiosity. For the rest of the visit, they were asked to feed the calves and cows, while learning the composition of food (wheat, flax, alfalfa, etc.). Julie also taught them the difference between dairy and lactating. A few meters further on, the apprentice farmers learned more about preserving milk in the vat. HAS”The milk stored inside is collected every three days. Then, it is the cooperatives who come to collect it. It is used at Entremont, Candia, Yoplait, etc.“, the farmer explained to them.
As they continued along the route, Julie showed them some agricultural machinery, such as a forage harvester or a beet harvester. The children were introduced to the cultivation and harvesting of the soil: “Everything we feed our cows comes from our own production, whether it be beets or corn.» The visit ended with a good glass of milk straight from the farm and, in turn, each student was able to board a tractor.
Beyond a simple outing outside, the objective of this visit was above all educational. HAS”Even if they are children from the countryside, there are some who have never approached a cow. We wanted to show them in more detail the environment in which they live“, says Madame Carlier, the CE1/CE2 teacher. She continues: “We also wanted to introduce them to the notion of “food sovereignty” by explaining to them who feeds them on a daily basis and where the products they have on their plate come from.»
Future seeds of farmers
Throughout the visit, the students showed a lot of interest in the farm’s activities. For some, this release even confirmed certain vocations, as for Marceau: “In front of my house there is a farm and, when I am bored, I ask my parents to go help the farmers. I would like to be like them later.» Same observation for Robin, who took great pleasure in feeding and taming the cows. It must be said that the next generation is assured from a very young age.
And to support these future professionals, the region’s Young Farmers are mobilizing through several interventions, particularly in schools. The canton of Bernaville will also be in the spotlight during the next edition of Plaines en fête, on August 29 and 30, in Candas.
