YOUNGSTERS got down to earth yesterday as they were given a taste of farm life.

The tenth School Farm and Country Fair to be held by the Suffolk Agricultural Association at Trinity Park, outside Ipwich, saw pupils aged seven to nine making the link between food and farms.

Around 3,500 children from schools throughout the county were given hands-on experience of keeping animals, planting, growing and cooking at the popular annual event staged by the SAA, which also organises the Suffolk Show.

“The children have planted, composted, tasted, kneaded, watched, touched and laughed in amazement as year on year they have experienced and learned more about the way of the countryside and how their food gets to them,” said executive director of the SAA Christopher Bushby.

“It never fails to amaze us how much pleasure and enjoyment they get from this day.

“It is a happy occasion and they leave with a real message. The teachers obviously enjoy it too as again this year we were oversubscribed by at least 50 per cent.”