Topic: school growing club

[Nathan]

I am a relatively new convert to growing food but am enjoying it immensely, and I am thinking of starting a growing club at the boys secondary school where i work.

There is huge potential here, because other members of staff are on the healthy schools committee, and the groewing club could be part of something bigger, selling food to the caterers, using compost from school dinners, etc.  There is also scope for GNVQ courses.  (Vocational courses.)

I would like to hear from anyone who has experience of a project along these lines.

[madmum]

Hi Nathan
I am new to A4A but have been involved in school gardening for a couple of years, although at a primary school rather than secondary.
The children really enjoy it and it fits in as a cross curricular activity, including PSHE.
The HDRA has a free schools scheme where if you sign up you will receive free seeds for the school to plant .
Also may be worth seeing if there are any parents who are available to help out instead of relying purely on overstretched staff members, although the experience and time in the fresh air would do them good I expect!
Good Luck
If I can help any more then let me know.

[undercarriage plan]

Hey Nathan, I also run a Gardening club at primary school, and I found begging worked really well! I got about 10 signed letters from the Head and went round DIY places, Gardening Centres etc, most were lovely. I now have free supply of compost from Focus! I also emailed the seed companies on the internet, got lots of seeds from RHS schools scheme and Thompson and Morgan, promised them mention in School News letter. The BBC also run scheme where they will come and do donkey work and provide funds, not for TV, but under a different umbrella. Can send details if intersted, we also go round doing up ugly urban sites. For more funding, Banks, such as Barclays, have now implimented a scheme where they have to do something for community, may be worth contact. Hope this helps, if want more, feel free to pm! Lottie  ;D

[undercarriage plan]

Kids love it, Wardy, but find trying to get the parents motivated really difficult. The Head won't let us have a pond, I love doing the actual club, but find the fund raising and running of it very difficult.  Only seem to get help from 2 other mums, the kids and one teacher!! Will try Seeds of Italy. Thanks Lottie  ;D

[undercarriage plan]

I am working on him Wardy, have even managed to sort out plan so pond is covered with large gaps for wildlife to get in and out of but no kids!! I am stubborn and will get the pond!! The kids are wonderful, and we've done alot so far, sensory garden, veg, willow house in autumn, but it does sometimes feel  like an uphill struggle. But I will succeed!!! Can't wait for kids to return in Sep!!! They have lovely toms, marrows, flowers, beans etc and when they left, plants were tiny and struggling, Really pleased. And.....I do have spare soggy lettuce......Lottie  ;D

[undercarriage plan]

Actually picked the one subject that winds me up, Wardy!!
Peeps keep going on about global warming etc, yet nothing put into Educaiotn system about kids learning about our planet, and plant cycles how important it all is. If a love of growing was instilled at Playgroup age, what a diference! Lotte  :)

[jaggythistle]

    EDUCAIOTN    :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
   
    LOTTE      :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

   Lottie by chance are you going back to an educational institute to take
   part in a spelling bee  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[undercarriage plan]

With lettuce in hand, may I add....... ;) Lottie

[katynewbie]

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

Can Bees spell??? Never did understand that!

[Nathan]

Thank you all for your comments.

Now I need lots of suggestions!

Our club is due to start in October after half term, and I need to plan a programme that is varied and exciting.

My ideas so far are:

Plant peas.  (Ihave a book that says U can plant them in Oct/Nov.
Plant soft fruit.
Collect leaves around the school for leafmould.
Make wooden surrounds for raised beds. (Boys like hammering in nails)

I would like to give boys who join up something to take home, seed trays, some compost, some seeds to start off, but what?

We have a large site with as much space as we can use (!) but as yet no equipment.

Please respond with lots of ideas!

Thank you all

[undercarriage plan]

We put a message out in the school newsletter, Nathan, and the parents brought in loads of stuff they weren't using. The school kitchen is now using the tomatoes we grew in the dinners, it may be an idea to ask the school cooks what they'd use in preparing their meals. We've planted onions, garlic and will be planting peas, brassicas etc. If you visit the RHS website and follow the Schools link, they'll give you loads of info and free seeds. I also did a round robin via the internet to all the big seed companies, to date Thompson and Morgan are the only ones who sent seeds, but were really generous. B & Q give us all their split bags of compost, and I give them mention in School newsletter, bit of free publicity!! Goodluck! Sorry to ramble!! But a favourtie topic of mine!! Lottie ;D

[Nathan]

Thanks for suggestions, which I will take up.   We have a great groundsman who knows his stuff and one of the governors is a farmer who we hope wioll come and plough the rough land initially.

Our school has a teacher who keeps bees, a fledgeling orchard, a cookery club, and plenty of room.  What more copuld I ask.  We are also in a town (Sandbach) which amazingly has no allotments.  So I think there may well be parents/grandparents who will come along and help.

This is a boys secondary.  My daughters aged 11 and 13 are convinced that none of the boys will want to join a growing club.  Not cool.  I hope they're wrong.  One of these days I'll be doing a presentation in assembly to attract members.  So who has experience of getting teenage boys hooked on growing food?  I'd love to hear from you.   Wish me luck!