Gardening For Children

Darwen children produce food for restaurant

GREEN-fingered children at a Darwen primary school have been signed up to produce food for an award-winning restaurant.

Vegetables and herbs grown at Asheligh Primary School in Ross Street are being used in dishes served only metres away at MJ’s Restaurant at the Whitehall Hotel.

The link between business and education came six months ago when hotel gardener Stuart Standing - who is also a parent at Ashleigh Primary - put the idea forward.

There is currently one greenhouse and 10 vegetable beds, which are tended by every child in the school.

Neil Bullows, hotel owner, said: “Everyone’s a winner with this. It costs us a lot less, there’s no carbon footprint, and it’s very educational for the children.

“The quality of the food they produce far exceeds what you could get from a supplier. There’s no warehousing or transportation - it’s straight out of the ground and onto the plate.”

Every child at the school has gardening classes scheduled into their week to plant, weed and pick, and now groups of pupils are being shown how the produce is used in the kitchen.

Last week Whitehall head chef James Berry made herby bread with a group of pupils containing their marjoram, Welsh onions, hyssop and chives.

Other produce used by MJs includes red onions, English mint lettuce, dill cabbage, oregano, sorrel and Greek sage.

Chefs have put in an order for next month for potatoes, tomatoes and strawberries.

Susan Tongue, deputy head, said: “The children absolutely love it. There isn’t one child who doesn’t look forward to doing the gardening duties.

“We got a community grant to set up the garden and decided we would use the food for school meals and sell the surplus to the restaurant, who also sponsor the soil.

“It combines a lot of different aspects of education. Some children had no idea that potatoes grow under ground or sprouts grow on stalks. It also includes business education, as we want to make this sustainable financially.

Gardening with Children. Let 'em get Dirty! — Tip Junkie

Gardening with Children!

Nothing is more fun that seeing the look of wonder and amazement on a child’s face when they learn how a seed sprouts or that corn grows on an ear instead of coming from a can or bag!  Kids need to know where real food comes from, that is does not just magically appear on the shelves of grocery store perfectly packaged and preserved.

Even if you live in the heart of the city you can grow something on a windowsill or deck, visit a farmers market to buy fresh veggies, or join a community garden.  We need for our kids to make the connection between this planet we live on and the food that sustains our bodies.

There are a few simple things that we can all do to engage children in the gardening process.

Plant things that are interesting and tasty. Incorporate play into our gardens. We can attract critters that kids love to watch. Mostly we can give of our time in the garden, spending time learning and working together!

Here is a list of veggies that I have found to be particularily interesting for kiddos:

Sunflowers they can grow their own giants

Take the time to get out in the garden with a child.  It does not even have to be your child!  Invite the neighborhood children into your garden, start a school garden, or spend time with a grandchild playing in the dirt.  Ignite the passion for gardening in the next generation!

It is so important for not only the health of our bodies but for that of the earth that we teach our children where their food comes from.

Kids can learn that if they care for the earth it will in turn share its goodness in the form of fresh healthy foods with them!

How to Garden Series:

Step 1 -  Ground Site Selection

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