BARLEYLANDS farm and craft village has joined forces with a supermarket giant to help youngsters build positive relationships with food.

The attraction, near Billericay, has been accepted into Tesco’s “eat happy project”, which was set up to tackle diet-related health problems in children.

The education team at Barleylands has forged a strong reputation, with 12,000 pupils a year taking part in its learning programme.

Barleylands already supplies homegrown potatoes to Tesco, and in 2015 will run a special activity day to tie in with the new curriculum.

The popular education programme sees schools visit growing crops in the field, and learn about farming, seeing how a small amount of seeds grows into enough food to feed us.

Youngsters also take part in cooking lessons, using produce from the farm, to see first-hand howmeals end up on out plates.

Karen Watson, education officer at Barleylands, “We’re so pleased to have been accepted into the Tesco programme and feel this is a real endorsement for our education programme.

“As farmers we are passionate about food education and welcome a wider initiative with open arms. We are looking forward to a successful partnership moving forward. Inclusion into the programme means the farm can reach ever more children and teach them where their food comes from.”

The highlight of 2015 at Barleylands is set to be “open farm Sunday”, a national initiative sponsored by Tesco’s “eat happy project”.

On Sunday, June 7, farms across the country will open their gates to members of the public to give them a real insight into life as a farmer.