SPOT THE BLACK COW AND PURPLE PARROT AT THE FUW PAVILION

Visitors to next week's Royal Welsh Show were urged today to look out for a big black cow and a purple parrot at the Farmers' Union of Wales' pavilion where youngsters can learn about farming and the countryside and have loads of fun at a special children's corner.

They can even have a go at "milking" the life-size model of a Holstein Friesian cow named "Mari Dilys" - on loan from the National Trust's Llanerchaeron farm estate near Aberaeron where next year's Urdd National Eisteddfod is being held.

The estate's Home Farm complex has an impressive range of traditional and atmospheric outbuildings and is now a working organic farm with Welsh Black cattle, Llanwenog sheep and rare Welsh pigs.

The FUW plans to have a stall at Llanerchaeron's "Learn About Farming Day" on Sunday, September 20.

"Meanwhile, Mari Dilys will help us to spread the message that Wales' traditional dairy farms, the backbone of our industry, are under threat from decreasing farm gate milk prices and ever-increasing production costs," said FUW president Gareth Vaughan.

"The FUW is very concerned that, according to the latest official figures, the number of dairy farms in Wales fell by 670 between 2004 and 2008. That is unacceptable and gives rise to serious worries about the sustainability of our dairy sector."

The purple parrot is the logo of Atebol - an innovative business set up in a converted granary and implement shed on a former dairy farm, Fagwyr, Llandre, near Aberystwyth - which produces bilingual learning and teaching materials for the home, schools and colleges.

A selection of its products will be on display on the FUW stand where young visitors can help complete a giant jigsaw, designed for those starting to read in Welsh, and play a game promoting and developing early language skills in Welsh.

Atebol was set up over five years ago by FUW member Gillian Saunders Jones and her husband Glyn just before she retired from teaching at Penrhyncoch primary school, near Aberystwyth.

She was frustrated that there were so few colourful teaching materials in Welsh so she and her husband, the former director of the University of Wales Centre for Educational Studies, produced a book ''First 100 words in Welsh'' which takes children on their first steps on the language learning ladder.

It was so successful it is now in its fourth reprint which encouraged them to bring out ''100 First Farm Words'' to help young children and Foundation Stage pupils develop their vocabulary as they learn about the world around them.

Meanwhile, all visitors can expect a warm Welsh welcome if they pop into the union's pavilion during the show to enjoy a free cup of Fairtrade tea or coffee and a biscuit.

They can also purchase more substantial meals in the spacious marquee at the rear of the pavilion where caterers, Gegin Fach y Wlad, of Llanfihangel-ar-Arth, Pencader, will be preparing wholesome Welsh produce.