NEEPS

Maria

As soon as the kids go back to school I'm joining the school eco group, with a view to growing as many edibles as poss. It's something that I'm very passionate about, and as I'm free during the day I think it's about time I pulled my finger out and did something! Although I imagine it will have to start small I LOVE the idea of kids learning about growing food - and in time, growing enough to supply the school kitchen.

I know from past posts that some of you grow at your school. Or know of folks who do. Maybe others have heard of projects where the food has got into the curriculum and then into the kitchen?

It would be great to hear from you. No point re-inventing the wheel. Would also be great to know of any funding, freebies, networks etc.

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Better late than never!

bracken · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:22 am Post subject: eco schools

Hi Maria,

here is a link http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/energy/schools/eco.asp to the aberdeenshire Council's Eco Schools project. There is a £250 grant available.
Rosehearty Primary school won the coveted Green Flag this year. It's just not gardening that they won the flag for - they do all sorts of other recycling/environment things too.
They have a few raised beds and fruit trees in tubs. A local soft fruit farm donates raspberry plants each year that are grown in the foyer. All the fruit and veg grown is made available in school meals and in the 'tuck shop'. They grow carrots, spring onions, onions from sets, flowers, sunflower competitions - really easy stuff....
From experience I would advise not to go in with ideas of ploughing up the football pitches and growing enough food to support the village - just have a few raised beds - think about who will do the watering etc in the holidays. You'll probably find a lot of people who want to help out initially but then enthusiasm fizzles out and you are left with an overgrown garden and spoiled food.
Most kids (even in a rural village) don't really make the connection with the food on their plate and things growing in the ground so it makes sense not to overload them with gardening.
Rosehearty is fortunate to have a community library in it's building - the staff there work with the school and provide lots of learning experiences - displays, books, stories etc.
Anyway, hope this helps!!!

Maria · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:06 am Post subject:

Wonderful - thank you Bracken. The school may well be part of the project, and if so I'll know where they're up to, if not I'll introduce it.

Yes, agree about digging up the school - might scare the bejeebers out of them, and could well be a lot to look after. It will have to start small....but....i'm sure I've heard of a few schools who have built up to bigger things?
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Better late than never!

dizzyblond · Neepster Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 364 Location: Nairn

does Hugh Fernely Whittingstall have any useful tips on his site, or maybe even gardeners world site. When i was at school we had a cottage garden for the kids who were not great mixers etc and that was years ago. You could email HFW with questions - I bet they could help - good luck and keep us posted.
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Dizzy -Natural Corner Nairn

Lord_Azrael · Neepster Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 372 Location: Alves

I don't have kids myself, but am really supportive of the idea of teaching kids to grow food at school.

It's great that this is happening more all over the place now and I only wish we'd had the chance when I was at school!

Good luck to you with the project.
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"God and our archers made them stumble" Agincourt, 25 October 1415

Smooth Hound · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

mines on wee blether

Maria · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:17 pm Post subject:

Went to my first Eco-schools meeting today as the new parent member of the group. It was wonderful chatting to the P6 children who volunteer for the schools 'clean and green' group. I asked the children whether they/or their family, grew anything edible at home. Almost half of the hands went up (from a group of 19), it was great hearing them talk of everything from tatties to cucumbers.

I'll be going next week to have a tour of the school with a few of the group so we can decide where to start. They have a greenhouse which is almost finished...and some equipment already.

Next stop signing the school up to the RHS growing schools and a search extra funding to get us going.

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Better late than never!

Julie · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:05 pm Post subject:

Are you looking for ideas?
If so, I was just going to suggest that you try to select quick growing things amongst the stuff you decide to grow so that the kids can see some fast results.
It is useful in other ways too as a row of radishes, for instance, can mark the position of a row of something which is slower to germinate. It makes it easier to weed without pulling up seedlings.
Companion planting and attracting beneficial insects is good too, and might offer the teachers some scope for a biology lesson or two.
Interestingly shaped beds - basic geometric shapes bring maths into the equasion (pardon the pun) and art and design too. It would be something the kids could decide for themselves and vote for. They could design the groundplan for the whole site upfront.
The more it interacts with their other subjects the more involved they become.
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It is better to light a candle than to rail against the darkness
VOTE WITH YOUR FEET!

Stonehead · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:23 pm Post subject:

It was nothing official, but I gave our school's nursery class a couple of tomato plants to grow on a windowsill and did a pictorial instruction set on how to care for it. I don't what they fed them, but the tomatoes were bigger than my fist—and bigger than the ones I grow at home.

They have a nature garden and grew potatoes as well this year.

Maria · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:49 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the idea's folks - be great to hear more, if you think of anything else that might help us on the way.

Made another visit to school today. Not the best day to choose but the eco group didn't seem to mind at all! I took photo's whilst they gave me the grand tour. They seem to have decided (at least the 6 pupils and teacher that showed me around) that they would like the works! Fruit/Veg/Herbs/Pond/Meadow and a real outdoor classroom. It's just lovely to work with them. They know the school grounds so well as P6's, and are really keen to get involved.

The time dashed by with heaps of questions, ideas and info from the group. Think I need another couple of visits (without keen lil uns'), to know it better. Mmm, and some time to mull over how best to give them the info on what's grows best where, without overwhelming them or taking over....as I'm every bit as enthusiastic as they are.

Can't wait to see what their 'ideal' school growing grounds will look like.....and get started on the first lil' bit of it.
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Better late than never!