By Natalie Bochenski
700 Brisbane primary school children got an early taste of the Ekka on Thursday at the RNA's Rural Discovery Day.
The annual tradition gives city kids the chance to learn country skills such as animal grooming and show judging plus gain insights into where their food comes from.
Twins Will and Jasper Weston, 8, from Silkwood School, give Patsy the cow a pat at the Ekka Rural Discovery Day.Credit: Michelle Smith
Other activities on the agenda included learning how to shoe a horse, shear a sheep, milk a cow, grow pineapples and make a fruit pizza.
Now in its 12th year, animal interactions remain the highlight of Rural Discovery Day, and this year was no different.
Jayden Newman, 10, Jordan Phillis, 11, and Willow Cosgrove, 9, from Jubilee Christian College get tips from Ekka executive chef Sean Cumming at the Ekka Rural Discovery Day.Credit: Michelle Smith
Children lined up to pat and hold animals including lambs, piglets, baby chicks, kid goats and even alpacas.
There are just 78 sleeps until the 2015 Ekka.