WCF Horticulture, a leading packer and supply chain manager to the horticultural sector, specializing in seed potatoes, has been helping local schools around Perth and Kinross to dig deep in a bid to educate them about the origins of the food they eat
The Mr Jazzy Potato Project, organised by the Perth & Kinross Initiative of the Royal Highland Educational Trust (RHET) and sponsored by WCF Horticulture, encourages classes to grow and harvest their own potatoes from scratch.
This year over 1000 pupils from across Perth & Kinross took part in the project, which aims to show the children the gradually unfolding story of the spud and how food and farming are linked. Top of the crops in the 2017 competition was the nursery from Auchtergaven Primary School who won both the ‘Heaviest Crop of Potatoes’ and ‘Best Potato Project’. The ‘Best Potato Recipe’ was awarded to the P4/5 class from Auchtergaven Primary School who created the ‘Crispy Crunch’ Recipe.
Above: Volunteer Andrew Johnston helping pupils from Moncrieff Primary School harvest their potatoes
Miriam Doe, Seed Manager of WCF Horticulture, said “Jazzy is a premium salad variety which is making a big impact on the UK Potato Scene. Jazzy is already a fun brand which has really engaged the children and they have particularly enjoyed the prolific nature of the variety. The Mr Jazzy Potato Project is fun and educational covering a range of learning outcomes. Pupils are very much hands-on and enjoy learning how to grow potatoes and how they fit into a healthy balanced diet”.
Most of the schools were visited by RHET’s own ‘Potato Professor’ Mr John Marshall who talked pupils through how we eat potatoes, how they grow, how they are farmed, the different varieties and the health benefits of the mighty spud! At harvest time another local RHET volunteer visited the classes to assist with the harvesting, weighing and counting of the potatoes.
Auchtergaven Nursery Teacher, Mrs Archer said “The children have really enjoyed the Mr Jazzy Potato Project especially learning and watching how the potatoes grow and produce new ones.”
Alix Ritchie, Project Coordinator for RHET Perth & Kinross said “One of the most rewarding aspects of the project is watching the facial expressions of the children as they see their potatoes emerge from the soil. To the delight of the children, the potatoes are then cooked and consumed – the perfect end to a “farm to fork” project”.