Here in South Dorset, we are accustomed to being surrounded by some of the most spectacular countryside in the UK.
Yet rarely do we spare a thought for the custodians of this rural paradise – the farmers - who manage one of our most important businesses.
In recent years, farming has been bludgeoned with red tape, regulations and conservation designations of one kind or another.
The connection between what we grow and what we serve on our tables has become ever more tenuous.
The stand-off between farmer and citizen has drifted on for too long. It’s time to restore this missing link for the greater good of us all.
And nowhere is that more important than in our schools, where many youngsters are unaware of what goes on beyond the playground.
Wishing to redress the balance, I launched my ‘Kids to Farm’ project some years ago.
Mainly aimed at primary school age, the children get close up – and sometimes hands on – experience in how our land and livestock are managed. Accompanied by their teachers, these young investigators are dispatched to a number of stands along a two mile route.
Here, they learn about dairy and arable farming, bee keeping, forestry, veterinary practice, game keeping, deer management and conservation courtesy of Dorset wildlife trust.
Schools who have attended are keen to return. And judging by comments from their young charges, the visits are informative and enjoyable.
During the last farm day seven-year-old Chelsea Wallace was enthralled with the ultrasound machine, which revealed a calf foetus.
“My favourite part was when the vet put his hand in a cow and showed us the baby calf inside her.”
Bethany Gregson, aged eight, added: “Once a cow is born, their mum must lick them to help them breathe.”
They all thought the ability to track milk back to a particular cow was “amazing”.
Bee keeping was popular, too - perhaps because the product was so delicious, easy to sample and rare.
“Six bees make one teaspoon of honey a year … I thought it would be litres,” said one young visitor.
And the combine harvester achieved near voodoo status because of its satellite technology, which now gives the operator far more control over his vast machine. It’s a long way removed from the days when cabs were not enclosed and drivers resorted to wearing scarves over their mouths to keep the dust out.
The importance of being able to grow our own food is as important now as it proved to be during the last war. Britain was able to survive alone, just.
We must not forget this strategic lesson and, with more than 60 million mouths to feed in the UK today, self reliance is something we must always strive for.