Apologies for not answering everybody who was so kind in giving advice in my previous post. A mixture of being busy at home and at work has kept me away from A4A for a while.
Anyway, what spare time I've had has been spent over at the school preparing the ground and getting people interested in the project. I've done a lot more since I took this photo so I'll take the camera to school tomorrow if I remember.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/meatpaste/Bedsrotovated.jpg)
The big news is that the children are active in raising money for the project. The school council has donated the money to build a fence around it, the 'Friends of School' paid for the hire of the rotavator and this week is 'Health Week'.
Tomorrow is a non-uniform day and if the children bring in 50p, they can dress as their favourite vegetables or fruit instead of wearing uniform and the money raised goes into the garden fund.
I've built some raised beds and I'm filling them with a good covering of well rotted manure (my camping trailer is never going to smell the same again!)
I've started collecting cardboard to cover it all with and we've been promised a free shed, water butt and composter!
I'll keep you posted.
doing well there, look forward to seeing the veggies 'n' stuff next year :D
Wow it sounds like you've done really well so far! :o Just wanted to wish you best of luck with this project, it sounds really fun & very worthwhile. I'll keep my eyes open for your updates! kitten x
:D Looks really great keep up the good work. :D :D :D
Well done that man.... look forward to the new improved pictures..
:)
Pete. Glad things are going well and people and pupils are taking an interest. Hopefully your hard work and enthusiasm will continue to be rewarded. Don't forget more pics.
Regards Lorna
All great news, Pete and the pic shows promise of goodies to come already 8)
Hope you first veggie pic is going to be of the kiddies dressed up as veggies...are we gonna open a book on how many carrots you're going to have? ;D
I'm not sure I can take any pics of the children without their parents permission but there is one child who is going dressed as an apple tree today and she will definitely get her photo taken - or she can start earning her pocket money!
Photo to follow.........
Here as promised
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/meatpaste/Lucyappletree.jpg)
The 'Dress as your favourite fruit/veg appears to have been a success. There were strawberries, pea pods and bananas coming out of school when I went to pick my apple tree up!
Hello and congratulations on such a wonderful idea and project, the children at the school will have a much better idea and understanding of where some of their food comes from and this will hopefully encourage them to take on a healthier approach life, well done regards Steve.
http://www.myallotments.blogspot.com
Was only saying to OH the other day, it ought to be a major event in schools. Was horrified some years ago when children were asked to draw where milk came from and drew a cardboard carton :P
Think it's a fabulous project and will watch with great interest!
It'd be nice if this was on t.v, to draw attantion to how important this sort of project is !!, instead of celebrity silly b**gers in the jungle
So glad all seems to be a success. Hope they all appreciate your hard work.
Lorna.
Awwww - she looks like a christmas tree with apples :-)
There are so many of us at school that grow our own... would love to do something at school but i dont think the teenagers would be impressed in the least!
This is brilliant Pete, and such a great idea to involve the children. Loved the costume. You seem very organised. Our proposed plot is a total jungle, full of bramble and allsorts of other unmentionables. We haven't started on it yet, though the park warden has arranged to get our site flattened by some heavy machinery in the next month. Please continue to keep us updated, as it is so interesting seeing how you progress. :) busy_lizzie
Apple of your eye, eh, Pete? Lovely picture. I'm sure she and her friends all had a great day 8)
Quote from: OliveOil on November 22, 2006, 23:20:31
Awwww - she looks like a christmas tree with apples :-)
Welllll........actually that's exactly what the costume is. Last years Christmas party outfit (Christmas Tree) with plastic apples replacing the baubles!
Just a quick note to those of you who have been kind enough to comment. The fact that the project is on the school playing field has helped a lot. I'm not having to clear an abandoned allotment site or start from scratch on land that is overgrown with couch or brambles.
I'll keep everybody posted on our progress.
Hi Pete,
We're in the process of trying to sort out a similar patch at our school too. Have applied to go on a RHS course at the National Wildflower Centre in Liverpool for arranging the best veg that will grow within a school year, etc, etc, but it's only in March 2007. Would be good to compare notes.
Keep up the good work. Would love to see updated photos of your plot!
Bob
FANTASTIC PETE ;D
I'd really love to get some school projects going on our allotments but the red-tape is longer than a couch-grass root 8) , the school policies are harder to understand than the Lottie Contract document, the plot-holders have gone dormant on the issue (same as a 2yr-to-ripen asparagus crown) and the headmistress is a prickly nettle :D
So I'll just open a bottle of wine instead :D
Post more pics!
Trix XXX
Just found a fab internet resource for this kind of school growing project...
http://www.growinggrub.co.uk/index.htm (http://www.growinggrub.co.uk/index.htm)
:)
That looks fabulous Pete. Well done :D The kids will be the next generation of allottmeneers.
In our area (Tameside) the Allotment Federation were asked to help schools to do just what you've done, but I never heard whether it got off the ground. (The council were doing it to get extra points for Britain in Bloom) I volunteered but never heard any more of it.
Amazing! What a great, great starting-point ;D
I found this link, which you might want to copy your pictures and progress into, to encourage other schools...
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/map/index.php
Thanks once again for your interest - the growinggrub site is fantastic and will be of great use I'm sure - thanks Sally-C.
I've been over to the school earlier today to make sure nothing has blown away and the update is that we're about to send off our first order for seeds.
I was going to take a photo of the finished beds but the weather has been so bad I was bothered the camera would get drenched!
Everybody seems as keen as they were a few months ago and are raring to go.
I even got a mention in the school newsletter!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/meatpaste/schoolnewsletter-1.jpg)
I'll keep you updated and hopefully get some more photos.
Looks like a great project.
Are you only planting organic stuff?
Good luck with it
100% organic, although I haven't had the soil tested. The caretaker assures me that there is no weedkiller around or anything else nasty.
I figure that 200+ little pairs of hands will be able to keep the weeds at bay!
I have some bell pepper and long red chilli seeds,
they have been saved from organic produce,
I don't have space to plant them if you would
like them for your poject I can post them to you.
Not sure if the little mouths can cope with the chillies tho!
That's very kind of you. We don't have a greenhouse for Health & Safety reasons (although I'm going to suggest a polytunnel next year) but if they'll grow outside, I'm sure I can find some space.
What a wonderful project. :)
I have to say its a shame my sons new state of the art school cannot participate in a scheme like this, its one of these new private finance projects.
They have installed new play equipment for the nursery and reception classes but there doesnt seem to be anything to stimulate the older years, apart from as my son moaned some basketball nets situated in what was the old school playground.
I find it so disheartening that this is the next generation who will pass on whatever they learn to future generations. The school doesnt even have facilities for a cooker for the children to learn how to cook in school.
The worst part is in the height of last summer you used to see the private landscape firm employees who are responsible for maintaining outdoors looking like something out of ghostbusters with those horrid weed killer sprayers on their backs whilst children are playing out nearby! Makes my blood boil.
Oh forgot as a token gesture there is some horrid plastic planters in the playground and a willow arch that the children arent allowed to go near until its established.
Thank god Kayden only has another 2 and a half years here and that we are fortunate enough to now have a full plot at the lotti to enable him to have his own patch to nurture his own crops.
sorry for moaning on,
trina
If you need anything Pete just give us a collective shout.....
I have more seeds than anyone can ever plant if you have followed the saga elsewhere on the site!
;D
Thanks for keeping us informed of progress Pete. Everything sounds wonderful and you are making such good advances. We still haven't had our land cleared yet and are trying to get funding from various sources. Things move very slowly, but at least things are moving in the right direction. Keep up the good work and hope you will continue to let us know how your scheme is developing. busy_lizzie