Growing Food In Schools

I am a Facebook fan of Garden Organic (who are The National Charity for Organic Growing), and they just posted a message, which popped up in my News Feed.  It says:  “We believe that every school should be a food growing school and that every child should have the chance to learn food growing skills”.

I think this is a wonderful idea!  So much so that I wanted to post a blog about it and raise awareness.  I remember when I was in Primary 2 and we had the sweetest teacher, Miss Patterson.  She taught us how to grow watercress and we were all so excited, watching these teeny shoots sprouting up from our little tubs of dirt. 

I don’t remember much from Primary 2, being 5 years old and all (I have trouble remembering a week ago, never mind 20 years ago!).  But the fact I can remember that speaks volumes!  Seeing progress and experiencing achievement works wonders for the little ego!

They have started a campaign, called “Every School A Food-Growing School”, with the aim of persuading the Department for Education to allow this to happen!

I had a look at their report and it says that teaching children food-growing skills can help encourage children to lead healthier lives, through physical activity outdoors and inspiring children to eat the fruit and vegetables they have grown.  It could also raise educational standards and improve behaviour, particularly for those less comfortable in a classroom setting.

Not only that, but it could teach children enterprise skills, such as organising the sale or donation of surplus produce, and build community spirit and a sense of citizenship, for example, linking up across the generations and supporting local charities.

Awww… little Apprentices! 🙂

For more information on the campaign, click here.

Do you already know of schools that have this initiative? 

On a completely different note, I spotted on the Garden Organic website that they are celebrating “National Potato Day” on the 30th January.  I’m shocked that I knew not of this, considering I am a complete tottie fiend!  I try to include potatoes in most of my meals to be honest, but I might try and do something a bit different, to honour such a celebration! 😉

Any suggestions?

9 Comments

  1. Wendy

    What a brilliant idea – and what a marvellous thing to teach children. Hopefully that is something that will stay with them throughout their lives!

  2. Ananda Rajashekar

    indeed a noble and social idea, world exploring the globe warming all this little things would change things to betterment for self and world! when i was in school i remember doing things similar to avoid afforestation in India by planting saplings every year….:)

    1. noblenourishment

      Awww what a good example of bringing everyone together for an important cause 🙂 It really would be good for children’s self development; taking responsibility for something and seeing consequences of actions 🙂

  4. All That I'm Eating

    I met a lovely man once who was retired but went into primary schools and taught the children how to grow their own. I thought it was fantastic. It’s taken 22 years to get me to grow my own and I wish I had known sooner.
    As for the potatoes, I can’t get enough potato curry…or potato farls…or potato bread.

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