Ready…Steady……Go!

July already and the final countdown is on for our second Farmers Market.  Plants are growing well, posters are going up and producers are on standby to come next Friday 12 July, 13.30-15.30!  We look forward to welcoming you all and hope we have plenty of plants and products to tempt you.

My advice is to get there early as stock will be limited, particularly the runner beans, courgettes and gourds

The children are getting excited about the market, they so enjoyed selling what they had grown last time, they cannot wait to do it again.  They will be full of tips on how to eat the products and to care for the plants, so please do come along

See you there and Happy Gardening!

To market, to market….

On Thursday 2 of us went to Garden Organic to learn about Farmers Markets in schools.  This initiative is joint with the Soil Association and Food for Life Partnership

 

Just before half term 2 of us from Ferncumbe met with gardening reps from other Warwickshire Primary schools, The Soil Association , Food for Life Partnership and  Garden Organic at Ryton to inspire each other and learn from our experience’s of running a Farmers Market in school.  As we have not done one yet and the others had, we were able to soak up all the others ideas and experiences which were inspirational.  So much achieved by the other schools to involve all their pupils and the local community.  The course was really well structured, recognising the limitations and opportunities of the 3 school terms, limited time in the school day and practicalities of organising an event.

We started the day thinking, ‘lovely idea but not for us’ and came away with a provisional date, next March. We made lists of stalls for each year group and the gardening projects to grow the produce for it and ideas for other stalls to be managed by our partners in the community- Hatton Park WI and our friends at Northleigh as well as suggestions of local businesses to approach.

It meant we ended the half term on a gardening high; full of ideas of how to keep the gardening club going through the winter months to prepare for the market.

The big change to the gardening club from November is that it will run at lunch time rather than after school, with 3 x20 minute clubs during the lunch hour rather than a single 1 hour club.  It will be interesting to see whether this new format works and the children want to spend 20 minutes gardening.

Even though a market in March feels a long time away, when gardening, there is plenty to do now to get ready for it, and with the poly tunnel we can extend the growing season and take some risks, we will try taking some cuttings of perennial herbs and see if they grow, and planting daffodils. Without the poly tunnel we  would not be considering these ideas, it’s far too late in the season, but with the shelter and light the poly tunnel provides, we feel we can give it a go.

During half term star parent Charlie Ratcliffe, of Warwick New Gardens has put down membrane on the floor of the poly tunnel so we have a proper working area for the gardening club.  Thanks Charlie!