Schools potato harvesting

23 June 2008

This week schoolchildren all around the country have been unearthing the crops they've been growing for the Potato Council's Grow Your Own Potatoes (GYOP) initiative.  Earlier in the year Branston provided additional seed potatoes and Haxnicks Potato Patio Planters to schools near their Lincoln, South West and Scottish sites so that more children could get hands-on experience of growing potatoes. Branston's potato experts also visited a number of schools to help them with planting and to provide advice on how to grow a good crop.

On Monday Donna Benton, Storage and Field Services Manager at Branston, visited Scampton Church of England Primary School, Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School and Ermine Junior School in Lincoln to help them with their harvest. Donna said: "The children have really enjoyed growing their potatoes and they've learnt a lot about how food is produced. They've spent months looking after their potatoes and now they're really looking forward to cooking and eating them."  

The aim of GYOP is to highlight the role of the potato as a nutritious element of a healthy diet and help children learn how their food is grown. Being actively involved in the growing process, from 'chitting' to watering and caring for their plants, right through to harvesting, has given the youngsters the opportunity to develop an added interest in potatoes and a better understanding of how this staple food is produced.