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Seven-year-old farmer backs campaign to teach farming in schools

Youngster Archie Morris may not come from a farming background, but his passion for growing food and caring for animals is helping to highlight the importance of teaching children about farming.

Archie has built his own small enterprise at home, starting with just five hens in the garden. Today, he keeps more than 100 birds including geese, turkeys and ducks, alongside a beehive, and with the help of his parents, rents a small piece of land where he grows vegetables and sells eggs locally.

He says his love of farming comes from seeing how food grows from the soil.

"I love watching seeds turn into food that we can eat," he says.

"When I do farming, that just makes my heart feel really happy like it is going to explode. It is really nice and it is just really peaceful and then it makes me get into my happy zone."

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More food and farming education in schools

Archie's passion for farming has also reached into the classroom.

He regularly tells classmates about his animals and enjoys outdoor learning at school, including the introduction of welly racks so pupils can spend more time outside, whatever the weather.

He believes farming should play a bigger role in education so children can better understand food production and the environment.

"I think farming should be [taught] in schools because kids like me should know where their food comes from and how to look after the soil and our planet," he says.

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SoilEd campaign calls for farming to be embedded in the national curriculum

Archie is now a young ambassador for SoilEd, a campaign supported by ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian which is calling for food, farming and sustainability to be embedded across the national curriculum.

Olivia Shave, founder of Eco Ewe and the SoilEd campaign, says helping children understand farming is vital for public health, environmental awareness and future careers.

"Food begins in the soil," she says.

"Understanding how we grow, produce and consume it affects health, wellbeing, environmental stewardship and the skills needed for the green economy.

"Every child deserves the chance to connect with the food, farming and sustainability systems that shape their world," she says.

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