SOME small toys are highlighting the big job farmers do for Woolworths.
The supermarket giant has released its Bricks Farm range; small LEGO-like collectibles available to shoppers who spend more than $30 in one shop.
There are 40 Woolworths Bricks Farm packs to collect.
According to Woolworths, the toys will "bring the journey from farm to supermarket to life and encourage learning about where food comes from through play and creativity".
Bricks Farm showcases the people, activities and equipment involved in getting fresh food from farm to supermarket.
The collection includes a farm ecosystem with a farmer, a beekeeper, a fruit and vegetable buyer, several farm animals, The Odd Bunch fruit and veg, Macro products, a drone, a chicken coop, and fruit trees.
The collectibles have been available since February 8 and have drawn largely positive comments on social media.
The products are made from recycled plastic taken from items including refrigerators, safety goggles, and luggage handles.
Woolworths Group chief marketing officer Andrew Hicks said it was important the company shared and celebrated the role Aussie farmers played in providing the fresh produce customers enjoy.
He said they had been designed to show the intricate ecosystem of an Australian farm.
"We hope the second chapter of our Bricks collectible once again encourages our customers to learn more about where their food comes from through interactive play," Mr Hicks said.
Woolworths is continuing its partnership with TerraCycle, so customers will be able to return duplicate or used pieces from Bricks and Bricks Farm to their local store to be recycled.
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The official LEGO brand has long produced several different forms of farming and agriculture kits including harvesters, tractors, trucks and farms.
While the concept may be new to metropolitan shoppers, many in the agricultural realm may see a similarity to Little Brick Pastoral, a project by Nuffield Scholar, Aimee Snowden.
Ms Snowden said she thought the Bricks Farm concept was great.
"Anything that encourages children to learn about food and farming through play is super cool, and a great way to celebrate agriculture," she said.
"I was impressed to see the focus on sustainability and agtech featured with beehives, drones and solar panels part of the collection along with a range of fruit, vegetables and farm animals.
"They have definitely been warmly received - and its great to see teachers collecting them too as school resources for their classrooms."
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Ashley Walmsley
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
