In most primary schools, students are chomping at the bit to spend their recesses in a sand pit, on the oval, or hanging off a set of monkey bars. At Hermidale Public School, however, it’s class time where the students get their hands dirty, as they tend to their 85-hectare crop.

Using a paddock donated by a local farmer and ex-student, seven students from Hermidale Public School have become the ‘Hermidale Future Farmers’ group, sowing a crop that will fund their interstate school trips for the next three years. 

Classroom teacher Rebecca Cuddington says that they’ve incorporated the project across the curriculum, applying their handiwork to elements in almost every subject.

“With our writing we can be informative, and then jump across to maths and do topics like working out the average perimeter, and then going into science again and looking at all your living things like the life cycle,” Ms Cuddington said. 

The project got its start this year, in a post-drought climate where farmers have been more than happy to lend a helping hand.

So far machinery, fuel and labour has already been donated by local farmers to help produce a crop that is estimated to generate $40,000 when harvested later this year. 

The proceeds will go towards a cultural immersion trip for the students each year, with the 2022 trip planned for the Northern Territory. 

Melbourne, Tasmania and the Great Barrier Reef are all on the table as potential destinations for the following years. 

Member for Barwon Roy Butler took word of the school’s project to NSW Parliament this week, congratulating the students on their initiative. 

“Real life learning experiences such as these are important development steps in supporting a positive future,” Mr Butler said. 

Until then, though, there’s plenty more for the students to do, learning as the crop sprouts, grows, and is sprayed before harvest. 

“We’re using our crop pretty much as real life learning and real life proof,” Ms Cuddington said. 

The wheat crop is due to be harvested this Summer.