The Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture hosted a two-day educational event for students from across the region last week.

The event was held at the farm of Eldon and Janet Cubitt, retired dairy farmers, who live just east of Stayner, on Highway 26.

"The idea is to get children who aren't normally exposed to farming out to a place where they can feel, touch and smell it," said Keith Currie, past president of the local federation. "We want children to see how food gets to their plates."

The educational sessions were held in conjunction with Agri-Food Week.

Attending the program on Tuesday and Wednesday were Grade 3 students from schools in such communities as Barrie, Victoria Harbour, Penetanguishene, Midland, Cookstown and Dalston, Currie said. The sessions were held in the morning and afternoon each day.

Students at the farm spent 10 to 12 minutes at various stations, with presenters at each station covering a different aspect of agriculture.

"At each station a local farmer gives a talk about whatever aspect of farming they are involved in," Currie said. "The kids learn about vegetables, beef, pork, dairy and how each of these are used to make different products."

Youngsters also got a chance to ask questions.

Once students visited each station, they gathered in the hay barn to see a sheep getting sheared.

Students attending the program each brought a food item. The food was collected and sent to the Barrie Food Bank for distribution to food banks across the county, Currie said.

The educational program is now about 20 years old.

Currie said that originally the program ran at the Barrie Event Centre, next to Highway 400, but what with that facility slated for demolition a new location was needed.

He said at first the program was geared to students in Barrie because they live in a highly urbanized setting.

However, he said that because more students in general are less familiar with agriculture the program was expanded to include students in smaller communities.

Currie said that many people - children and adults - are not well informed about farming because they are so removed.

He said many people don't realize the vast amount of money, time and energy that farmers put into producing food for the country and around the globe.

"So we hope things like today help change that," he said.