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| Specialist Events and Projects | |
| Elgin Academy Farmers' Market - Friday, 10 December 2010
Our first ever Farmers' Market took place at: Elgin Academy
We secured the support of the following quality, local producers:
* Connage Highland Dairy
* Easterton Farm Venison
* Elgin Academy Home Economics
* Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour * Jampacked - Naturally
* MacLeod Organic Box Delivery
* Olive Tree Chocolate
* The Bakehouse Cafe
* Wester Hardmuir Fruit Farm 
Through this pilot project targeted at S2 Home Economics at Elgin Academy we aimed to:
* introduce pupils to the concept of local foods and to give them information that will help them to make informed choices when buying food.
* introduce pupils to some of the farming methods in their local area so they can learn how food is produced.
* to allow pupils to manage and run a small enterprise activity within the school and develop the skills required to do this.
* to allow children to work as part of a team and to allocate the various tasks to different team members.
It is believed that two firsts were achieved:
- it is thought that this was the first public farmers' market to be held in a secondary school environment and
- the use of group call mass texting being used as a promotional tool to help to highlight the farmers' market to the parents was seen as a was seen as a first by Dougas Watson, National Development Officer for Farmers' Markets.
The event was attended by Mr Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment who said "The enthusiasim shown by Elgin Academy pupils in organising their own farmers' market was marvellous to see. With young people showing such enterprise the future promotion of Moray's top quality food and drink is in good hands.  I filled a couple of bags with good local produce myself and it reinforces my belief that farmers' markets are an important way of bringing local producers and the public together. We know that consumers desire to shop local and source good quality produce and I wish Elgin Academy ongoing success with this venture." | | Science of Farming & the Countryside Day - 15 September 2010 The Science of Farming & the Countryside Day was held by kind permission of the Scottish Agricultural College at Craibstone Estate.
The event targeted 5th & 6th year pupils with an aim to provide a series of enjoyable and interesting land based experiences and contribute to the Higher Biology, Business Education, Chemistry, Geography, Physics, and Home Economics curriculum.
Nine secondary schools representing all three of the local authority areas the RNCI covers, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray attended.
The RNCI would like to record our grateful thanks to the following:
Tutors for the day were: SAC, Craibstone Estate SAC, Farm Business Services Elgin Mrs Anne Wyness assisted by Mr Paul Smith
Main financial sponsors for the day were: - Dr EM Cruickshank Trust
- Mains of Loirston Trust
- Aberdeenshire Council
- Dunecht Estates
A complimentary, locally produced sponsored lunch was provided for all students, tutors and stewards attending the event: - Davidson's Specialist Butcher
- Highland Cuisine
- Chalmers Bakery
- Castleton Farm Shop
- Mackie's of Scotland
- Robert Wiseman Dairies
Amy Adamson, S5, Keith Grammar School is the winner of the machinery valuation competition. Pupils attending the event could guess the value of the machinery on display ranging in value from £500 up to £50,000.
Amy chose two complimentary tickets to the 2011 Keith Country Show and was presented with her prize by Billy Stewart, RNCI Vice-Chairman. Also present is Carol Holliday, Principal Teacher of Informal and Vocational Curriculum at Keith Grammar School.
Ballogie Estate Day - 10 June 2010 
The 2010 Estate Day was hosted by kind permission of Malcolm Nicol at Ballogie Estate. 8 schools and 165 pupils and teachers attended and enjoyed the activities covering: Cattle & farm machinery, Sheep, The River Dee, Salmon Fishing, Forestry Management, Timber Marketing, Shooting & Conservation and Access. | | Project Officer Sheila Stuart Tel: 01261 842214 Email: info@rnci.org.uk John Telfer Trophy Award 2010 The John Telfer Trophy 2010 has been presented to Allan Paterson.
The trophy is presented annually to an individaul or organisation that has helped the RNCI achieve its aim of increasing countryside awareness.
Presenting the trophy to Allan Paterson, RNCI Chairman, Robert Bellfield explained "Through his work with the former Aberdeen Environmental Education Centre, Allan has devised several excellent unique teaching resources for the RNCI. The creation of these resources for school pupils and their teachers has given the RNCI the means by which to dove tail the services that we offer to the requirements of the curriculum. This in turn has created a credible educational package for pupils, teachers and farmers."
Allan Paterson continues his valuable work through the Aberdeen Urban Studies Trust. Count & Grow with Superspud 2010 
35 schools and 49 classes participated in the project in the RNCI area during 2010. Link farmers were able to share their knowledge of growing potatoes with these early stages primary children. The Count & Grow with Superspud project closed on 18 June 2010. End weights, project submissions and evaluations were collated and forwarded to RHET. The RNCI is delighted to announce that a Highly Commended Certificate was achieved by Ewan Cooper P4B, Strathburn Primary school with link farmer Jim Cruickshank and a Commended Certificate was achieved by P1 - 3, Foveran Primary School with link farmer Christo Shepherd.
Congratulations to all who participated.
For details of Count & Grow 2011, please click on Future Projects/Events.
Gordon Cook Foundation Visits Home Economics pupils from Meldrum Academy visited Mitchells Dairy & Milk Processors and Ola Oils as part of an RNCI pilot for the Scotland wide Gordon Cook Foundation Trust project. The pupils were accompanied by H. E. teacher Mrs Anne Wyness and Mrs Anne Harper, Chairwoman of the Trust. | |
| Royal Northern Spring Show - 24 February 2010
Pupils from Ardallie, Middleton Park, Milltimber, Port Elphinstone, Riverbank, Rothiemay and Tyrie Primary schools covering the three local authority areas of Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray braved the elements and visited the 2010 Royal Northern Spring Show courtesy of The Royal Northern Agricultural Society and The Royal Northern Countryside Initiative.
Robert Bellfield, Chairman of the RNCI commented. “We had an excellent response and received far more requests, some 987 pupil and staff places, than we can safely accommodate at the one day Show. I would however urge schools not to be too disappointed and to keep applying each year as we cannot consider them for inclusion if they do not apply to attend.”
The school parties were divided into manageable groups and received a transport paid, free entry and complimentary stewarded tour around the Show. Part of their tour involved stopping off to meet representatives from the wider agricultural sector and the British Wool Marketing Board, HRN Tractors Ltd, Prattley Sales (Northern), Norvite and Tagmaster all gave freely of their time to inform the next generation about farming, food production and the countryside.
Auction Ring 2 will hosted a series of activities for the visiting children to include having a seat on a 4 x 4 vehicle generously loaned for the day from A. M. Phillip Agritech Ltd, to milking ‘Jewel’ the cow, viewing hand built model threshing mills and an action packed vintage tractor building demonstration.
Sheila Stuart commented, "the Spring Show is a great showcase event for the agricultural industry as a whole and we are indebted for the support we receive from the farming sector and the wider community which allows us to facilitate visits to this event for the up and coming generation."
The winners of the RNCI/HGCA 'Grow Your Own Tractor' Competition were Kirsten & Paige from Tyrie Primary School who were presented with £100 of book tokens for their school. CONGRATULATIONS! 
Interested in attending the Royal Northern Spring Show 2011 - Details are on Future Projects/Events.
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