This month, three London-based schools are organising farmers markets as part of a new two-year project for the UK capital, according to the Soil Association.
The Farm Academy Programme will see the organisation work with 10 London schools over the next year and a half, educating pupils about where their food comes from through farm visits and the establishment of school farmers markets.
This past summer, schools spent four days on an organic farm, growing and harvesting vegetables, and now the pupils are being given the chance to sell their own school-grown produce through termly farmers markets, as well as produce from local and organic producers.
Rupert Aker, head of learning at the Soil Association, commented: “The Farm Academy Programme is a fantastic scheme because everyone involved benefits. You see a real difference in pupils as they learn 'on-the-job' about farming, animal welfare, food growing and cooking – but it also helps provide a new market for local producers and micro-food enterprises; and it also gives the local community the opportunity to buy affordable and fresh local produce, and meet the farmers who are producing the food.”
Although the scheme is currently limited to primary schools, its success has convinced the Soil Association to extend it to secondary schools.
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