Schools Encouraged to Grow Their Own Potatoes Through Educational Project
As one of the sponsors of the main school-based farm-to-fork effort, Branston is urging schools to participate in the Grow Your Own Potatoes program this year.
This year’s theme, Growing for a Greener Future, aims to teach kids about the origins of their food, how to grow potatoes, and how they fit into a balanced, healthful diet. Each free kit will come with two types of seed potatoes as well as a packet of wildflower seeds to highlight the value of biodiversity and pollinator support, enhancing the kids’ educational experience even more.
More than 6m youngsters have participated in the experiment so far. Teachers have until Friday, January 31st, to register their school, and kits should arrive in mid-February. Children will start chitting their seeds as soon as they receive the materials, and in March, they will plant them. Children will gain important knowledge about food production and sustainability as they watch, tend to, and learn about the potato-growing process throughout the 14-week growth period, culminating in the harvesting of their crops in June.
“We’re sponsoring Grow Your Own Potatoes once again this year as it’s a brilliant initiative that provides vital education for children. It’s important to learn about growing produce and the benefits of a balanced diet from a young age, so for children to gain this hands-on experience is a fantastic foundation for them to build on. Grow Your Own Potatoes is a wonderful program, and we’d encourage primary school teachers to get signed up before the deadline and get involved. The skills children can learn from taking part in the growing process are invaluable, and we’re looking forward to seeing the harvested potatoes later in the year,” Lucia Washbrook, sales & marketing director at Branston, said.
Following harvest, participating schools are also invited to enter a national competition where they will be asked to submit pictures to commemorate their accomplishments and the weight of the potatoes they have grown.
“Registrations for this year’s Grow Your Own Potatoes project close at the end of January, but there’s still time for schools to secure their kits. Schools can sign up for multiple kits this year, making it the perfect opportunity to challenge other classes to a potato-growing competition and see who can harvest the biggest yield. This free project is a fantastic way to inspire children to learn where their food comes from, explore healthy eating, and develop essential life skills through fun, hands-on learning, as well as support local agriculture and promote environmental stewardship. We’re very grateful for Branston’s continued support,” Sue Lawton, project manager at Grow Your Own Potatoes, concluded.
