CHESHIRE’S agricultural community is taking visitors at the Cheshire County Show on an educative journey of where food comes from. 

To celebrate the Year of Food and Farming Cheshire farmers and food producers are coming together in the Show’s new-look Agri-Centre to inform visitors of the food path – ‘From Plough to Plate’. 

From beef farming to milking and cheese demonstrations, visitors at the Tabley Showground, near Knutsford, on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 17 and 18 will be able to see where their food comes from to end up on the supermarket shelves. 

Cheshire beef farmer David Heath will be on hand to show where different cuts of beef come from and how they are used, children can practice milking a model cow, and there will be demonstrations of modern milking methods. 

Agri-Centre committee chairman Stuart Yarwood said: “Cheshire Show visitors are aware of their rural economy and are interested in how our food is really produced, so this year the Agri-Centre’s theme is ‘From Plough to Plate’. 

“It’s not always easy to take school children on to a working farm so this way we are bringing the farm to them. There is a lot of interest in food miles and sourcing food locally so we hope the new Agri-Centre will attract many visitors.” 

Cows, calves and sheep will be in the Agri-Centre, as well as exhibitors including vets, feed companies and environmental agencies to show how our countryside is kept safe and clean. 

Cheshire Show executive director Nigel Evans said: “As the county’s agricultural organisation we have a duty to inform visitors to the Show about the importance of the countryside and agricultural industry. 

“Some people might not realise that their milk, meat, cheese or cereal comes from a farm down the road. They see it on the supermarket shelves and don’t know about the journey of how it gets there. 

“We want to educate our visitors so they appreciate the importance of where their food comes from, the hard work put into the food chain by local farmers and how they can help the local economy by buying local products.”