Healthy Eating! Grow  your own vegetables! These were the starting point for Barlaston First School’s new garden project. Funded by the Bayleaf project through Community and Learning Partnership we were able to add three super raised beds to our school garden. One of our parents, Mrs Ryan-Viggars, headed her team of vigilant workers from GrowthpoinT, a vocational and horticultural project for adults with mental health needs, and successfully erected three large raised beds, made from railway sleepers.

At the time workmen were in the school grounds working on the new community centre, they provided the manpower to fill these beds with sand drainage and topsoil.

After Easter the children from all classes and the after school gardening club began work in earnest. We set onions, planted seed potatoes and sowed carrots, beetroot, salad greens, lettuces, courgettes, parsnips, runner beans, broad beans, peppers and tomatoes. All growing plants were tended, weeded and watered carefully by the children. Thanks to our caretaker, Mr. Shea, our head teacher, Mrs Sharp and a diligent parent, Mrs Taylor, our plants were watered over the summer holidays.

On the 12th September all our hard work was celebrated when we entered the Barlaston Village Show. The show was a resounding success and reflected a friendly community spirit and atmosphere. Children in reception all entered six decorated cakes, Year 1 and 2 children all submitted pasta pictures and Year 3 and 4 made miniature gardens. Our finest vegetables were also entered. We won first prize for our carrots, second and third prize for our potatoes and third prize for our beetroot.

Now that we can see the fruit of our labours it is now time to taste! Our school grown vegetables will be prepared, cooked and eaten, by the children, in our new Children’s Centre kitchen. From garden to plate – I’m sure the food will be delicious.