Great Lumley Pupils Have a Potato Day Experience

Children from Lumley Infant and Nursery School, Great Lumley, Co. Durham had a truly international potato experience on Tuesday March 11. They won the chance to host a Potato Day as first prize in a competition for the British Potato Council’s (BPC) Grow Your Own Potatoes project. The children are the first of thousands of pupils, from 10,000 schools around the country, who will be planting potatoes this month, as part of BPC’s Grow Your Own Potatoes project.

Pupils celebrated with flags from the top potato growing countries around the world, including Russia, China and India!  The children also had a chance to taste some dishes from South America – where potatoes were first grown.

The children had a lesson in planting potatoes from a local expert, potato grower, Michael Manners from Darlington.  Mr. Manners took the pupils through each stage, starting by explaining exactly what a seed potato looks like, and explained that it would be at least 6 weeks before they could expect to see the first shoots!  He alsogave advice on watering and caring for the potato plants over the coming weeks.  Working in groups the children planted seed potatoes in large pots, which should be ready for them to harvest in June. 

Mr. Manners, from Manners Farm in Darlington, said: “After today I would recommend any potato farmer to get involved with the project.  It was reallysatisfying to see such enthusiasm from the children, and they were generallyinterested in all aspects of growing potatoes.  The surprise on their faces when they saw what a seed potato looked like was wonderful.” 

As part of the Potato Day experience, the BPC’s consultant home economist,Jennifer John, explained to the pupils why the United Nations has chosen to make 2008 the International Year of the Potato. Potatoes provide many vitalnutrients and are a really good source of energy.  As the children saw, they are also very versatile, which is why the potato is recognised as one of the most important agricultural crops around the world.

BPC’s very own Potato Pete made a surprise appearance on the day too.  He was warmly welcomed by all of the pupils in the school, and certainly helped to make the day a great success. 

Headteacher Mrs. Wilson said:  “We are delighted that Lumley Infant and Nursery School was chosen to host the Potato Day experience.  All the pupils here have been looking forward to starting the Grow Your Own Potatoes project and now can’t wait to harvest their potatoes in June.”

Lumley Infant and Nursery School was one of six schools randomly selected from the schools that registered for the Grow Your Own Potatoes project.  The chosen schools were then asked to demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to teaching healthy eating and where food comes from, with Lumley Infant and Nursery School chosen as the overall winner.

Lumley Infant and Nursery School impressed judges with its dedication to healthy eating.  Activities at the school include a ‘Healthy Grub Club’, where children take it in turns to prepare a range of dishes, from sandwiches to scones.  Also each year group has its own garden area where it grows a selection of flowers and vegetables.

The Grow Your Own Potatoes project in 2008 will help teachapproximately 300,000 pupils about potatoes.  All schools who registered will receive two types of seed potatoes, Rocket and Vales Emerald, and a £5 voucher towards the cost of compost and a container.  Schools that would like to submit the weight of their potato crop to the BPC must do this by the 24th June to enter the competition for the heaviest weight of potatoes grown.

The winner and runners up will be announced in July via www.potatoesforschools.org.uk.  Any schools who wish to register for Grow Your Own Potatoes 2009 can do so by visiting the website.  The project supports both the International Year of the Potato and the Year of Food and Farming.