The first of the 10,000 primary schools that are taking part in the British Potato Council (BPC)’s Grow Your Own Potatoes initiative have planted their potatoes, with the help of a local grower.
Pupils at Lumley Infant and Nursery School, Great Lumley, Co Durham, won first prize in a competition run by the BPC and were rewarded with a Potato Day experience.
Grower Michael Manners gave the children a lesson in planting potatoes.
Manners described each stage of the process, presented examples of seed potatoes and explained when the first shoots would start to come through. He also gave tips on watering and caring for the plants over the coming weeks.
The children then worked in groups to plant their own seed potatoes.
Manners, from Manners Farm in Darlington, said: “It is very rewarding to be able to educate the younger generation about where their food comes from, including the processes from ground to plate. The Grow Your Own Potatoes project is such a fun way to do this and I’m really pleased to have been able to help the pupils at Lumley on the first stage of this project. I really didn’t know what to expect, but the experience was enjoyable mainly because the children were genuinely interested and keen to learn. The surprise on their faces when they saw what a seed potato actually looked like was wonderful. I would certainly recommend that more potato farmers get involved with the project.”
Head teacher Mrs Wilson added: “We were delighted with our Potato Day experience. The practical activities and in particular, the visit from the grower made the event fun as well as educational. It also tied in superbly well with many of our other projects focused on growing, the environment and healthy eating.”
The Grow Your Own project will see some 300,000 young children have direct involvement in planting, caring for and harvesting their very own potato plant.
The BPC is urging growers to lend their support and help in whatever way they can.
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