Ranelagh schoolchildren learn about fresh food - from farmyard to dinner plate

Surveys often reveal - much to the surprise of adults - that staggering numbers of young children never connect what appears on their plates with what they see growing in fields.

No such problem for the children of Ranelagh School in Ipswich. Their term-long project is about market gardening and farming processes and how food ends up in restaurants and retail outlets.

For practical experience, they visited the busy restaurant in Glasswells home furnishings store as guests of head chef, Karen Boyle, and general manager, Andrea Johnston. Supplies arrive daily to the kitchen and the children saw at first hand the quantities involved and the importance of high quality fresh foods.

Teachers, Mrs Jaymee Stewart and Mrs Charlene Gregory, planned a practical approach in which the children could use and learn maths, literacy and science, but also see the end product in the shop, restaurant or dinner plate.

Using a combination of propagators, sunny windowsills and the school allotment, they have been growing tomatoes, lettuces, spinach, onions as well as flowering plants such as sweet peas and nasturtiums. These will go on sale at a later stage to families and teachers.

Mrs Stewart said, "It's a bonus for the children that local businesses, such as Glasswells and Jimmy's Farm at Wherstead, are so keen to help us. The children have learned not only how the produce is used, but they've also been able to discuss quantities and to talk about pricing and profits."

Ms Johnston of Glasswells said, "We've developed some strong links with Ranelagh School and we're working with them to support several areas of the curriculum.". "On the visit, not only did they see the fruit and vegetables arriving, but we also discussed the contents of the chill cabinets - the bacon and other meats - as well as what's needed for baking. They are now taking away what they have learned here to apply in the classroom to complete their project," she added.

March 2009.

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