The Grow Your Own Potatoes scheme run by the Potato Council is bigger than ever with more than 16,000 schools taking part.
To kick start the project, now in its sixth year, potato supplier Fenmarc Produce, along with company mascot Potato Pete have been busy touring the South East visiting schools in Essex, Hertforshire, Norfolk and the business’s local area, Cambridgeshire.
Fenmarc has begun the supply of Rudolph potato seed to more than 3,000 schools this year as it hopes children all over the region will be talking about Rudolph outside of the festive period, as they try to grow the biggest Rudolph potato plants and yield the heaviest harvests possible.
On the 7-8 April, Fenmarc visited Applecroft Primary, Featherstone Wood Primary, Chipping Hill School and Beeston Primary where pupils in Key Stage One spent time with Fenmarc’s Innovation Manger, Jonathan Pearson and learnt about the history of potatoes, the process of how food goes from the field to the supermarket to the children’s dinner plate, as well as the many different potato varieties.
“It’s important for children to learn where vegetables come from, how they grow and it’s great to see the classes so enthusiastic about growing their own potatoes” said Nigel Allam, seed supply manager at Fenmarc. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for our business to support a worthy project so close to our own industry. Colleagues here at Fenmarc really enjoy being involved, getting out to Schools to help, providing handy tips to help grow bumper crops. We want to wish the schools all the success in their projects.”
To finish the project, Fenmarc will also be hosting a harvesting event in conjunction with Open Farm Sunday.
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