On Taps, Sockets and Eggs From Tesco's

Following on from the theme of my last article, which was about building a personal relationship with nature, I would like to share the following thoughts.

How many children know from where an egg comes. How many people assume that the water that comes out of their tap is in some ways different to the water that falls from the sky. Who considers the source of the power that runs the TV and how it links to other natural forces. Myself, partner and kids have over the years camped at and otherwise spent quite a lot of time around farms. I have found this really helpful in terms of learning about the cycles of nature, the extent to which farmers need to be on intimate terms with their land, and the amount we take for granted about what we put on the table.

The camping side of it helps children to get a feel for life outside the boxes that most people call home. One of the most important jobs on most camping trips is getting clean water. I almost always get the kids to do this because it is usually safe (and keeps them out of my hair for up to half an hour if it's a big water butt) and makes them aware of one of our most important resources. I remember a conversation with my son when camping in Wales, when I realised he'd assumed the water was piped out to the farm from towns. I took him and showed him the stream that bordered the farm and explained why we couldn't use that water (ground contamination from the adjacent animals ETC) and asked him to guess the actual source. Later we went up into the hills and I showed him the reservoir supplied by clean springs and streams. At first he wouldn't drink the water from the tap, thinking this meant country water was dirty. I explained that actually all water, even town water, comes from similar sources its only a matter of scale and location. We went to another mountain and I drank water from a spring to prove it was clean, coming up through rocks and naturally filtered by Mother Nature. He understands now and has thought a lot more about what he does that might make the water dirty. I hope this new awareness continues to shape his attitude.

On the same lines when we use a chemical toilet I insist that the kids help me take it to the 'poo pit' (which my youngest was initially fascinated by) on the basis that 'those who deposit must withdraw' this has helped them to learn a number of important lessons. Firstly responsibility for their own body and its by products. Second that excrement and urine are not inherently dirty and can be valuable raw materials. Third that it all has to go somewhere, which given the size of our cities lead to hours of speculation on their part about how the volume of human waste is managed. A visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology was a big help here especially the compost toilets.

I know a little boy who thought a TV was broken because it was showing a picture in black and white. A little girl who won't eat eggs now since she realised how hens actually produce them. Also an adult who thought all food was washed on farms to get the rain and bugs off (I jest not) and was horrified to find out that most food is sprayed with chemicals to kill the bugs instead.

How can people make informed choices about how to live without such basic information? My youngest son has opted in and out of eating meat over the last few years. He is currently trying to be completely vegetarian partly influenced by what he sees on a friend's farm. The animals are very well cared for and I see a genuine concern for their welfare on the part of the Farmer concerned. Alex just looks into their faces and doesn't feel disposed to eat them. My eldest son is a confident carnivore. When he looks into a Chickens face he is seeing walking KFC. Neither is wrong, but to have the true choice I believe you have to truly know.

Which brings me back to my point nature is not just what's in the garden, its everything; from what comes out of the tap and the socket, to the eggs from Tesco's