Kids vids on tackle
Kids vids on tackle
ALEXANDRA Heard tried to find an entertaining and educational farm machinery video for her tractor-mad three- and five-year-old sons.
She couldnt, so, undeterred, teamed up with two close friends – Somerset farmer David Horler and Gus Colquhoun of Jacaranda Productions in London.
They then set out to fulfil not only their own childrens passion but that of many small children by making the ultimate childrens companion series of videos to farm machinery.
The result is the Tractorland series. So far, it includes Tractor Ted Goes Milkin, Tractor Ted Makes Bread and Tractor Ted Harvests Potatoes.
Mr Horler found the project fulfilled a necessity to diversify in todays austere farming climate. Highchurch Farm, his cereal, potato and dairy farm near Bath, has become Tractorland, the home of Tractor Ted and his machinery friends. All three Tractorland videos have been shot on location at the farm, using Mr Horlers machinery and crops.
"The entire filming has taken us over two years to complete in order to capture the full harvesting processes for the potato growing, bread making and milking themes of the videos," he says.
Ms Heard adds: "It seems there is a long-recognised passion which children have for big farm machines and, much to many a parents frustration, almost no media available with which to indulge this fascination. Farm animals have been used ad infinitum but not machinery. From the response we have had from our young viewers, Tractor Ted is set to become a must-have for children wanting to move on from animation to the real thing along with cheerful Tractor Ted."
The videos, aimed at children up to six years old, are priced at £12.99 each or £35 for a set of three. TR
Inquiries Tel 01380 850787.