Schoolchildren are to be encouraged to eat a healthier diet by taking part in a three-day project being pioneered in Pembrokeshire next month.
Over 650 pupils in the county, aged between nine and 11, are taking part in 'From Spade To Fork' to be held in the grounds of Scolton Manor outside Haverfordwest, on September 9, 10 and 11.
The children will be shown in practical demonstrations how fruit and vegetables grow and interesting ways to cook and eat them.
The project is the brainchild of Pembrokeshire County Council food officer, Kate Morgan, and gardening guru Gerald White of the local branch of the Horticultural Society.
"It's a fun way to educate children to eat their greens, if you like" explained Kate. "But it's not only teaching them about the goodness of fresh fruit and vegetables. As the title suggests there are nutritional and hygiene messages as well as lessons from nature which we can all learn about.
"We have been thrilled with the positive reaction to this event. Invitations were sent to all the junior schools in the county in the early summer and the response was overwhelming."
Each day will be split into five activities including an introduction to gardening in which pupils will plant seeds; a cookery section showing how easy it is to cook and eat fresh fruit and vegetables; lessons on the nutritional values of various foods and health and hygiene tips.
Pupils will also be given an insight into the history of food and what affect rationing had during the Second World War.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority rangers will be on hand to take pupils on a nature ramble around the grounds showing how foods can grow naturally in the hedgerows and fields.
Other agencies taking part in the Welsh Development Agency supported event include Health Promotion, The Food Standards Agency, the Local Health Group and Cook Start, a team of consumer scientists from Cardiff who are working with popular television cook, Angela Gray, to reintroduce cooking skills back into schools.