Seed for Schools program

ready for another bumper season

BY GEORGIA THOMAS SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, WA POTATOES

WA Potatoes have once again coordinated a successful Seed for Schools program across the whole of Western Australia. Giving young children the chance to learn about how potatoes grow, the varieties and health benefits of potatoes, and of course the joy of eating them!

Photo comp winners

APPLECROSS PRIMARY SCHOOL To round off this year’s harvest, WA Potatoes held a photo competition and invited schools to showcase their crops and cooking through images. There were some fabulous entries and, in the end, two winners were selected with Hammond Park Catholic Primary School and Applecross Primary School — each earning a Bunnings Sustainability Visit. The reward includes a refresh of the school’s gardens, including hands-on help from Bunnings plus mulch, plants and other goodies.

Other schools that entered were sent a certificate and a new book for their library.

Two winners were selected for the photo competition.

A representative from Applecross Primary School commented as follows: “The students at Applecross Primary School look forward to the Seeds for Schools Program each year. This year Room 10, Year 3 students, along with some parent helpers, prepared the garden beds by weeding and turning over the soil. They then planted the seed potatoes and watched them grow over the winter months.

“We harvested the crop during National Science Week, with the theme ‘Food, Different By Design’. There were many delighted students as they realised how many potatoes had grown from the seeds. There were dirty hands and big smiles all round. The potatoes were then scrubbed clean and roasted. Every single potato was eaten with many comments from students about how delicious they were. “A Year 3 student, Eleanor, penned a beautiful poem about potatoes too. The students were thrilled to hear they had won a sustainable school visit from Bunnings. “We look forward to taking part in the program next year.”

MORE INFORMATION Seed for Schools registrations are now open for 2022 so if your local school wants to jump on board, please go to www.todatoes.com.au/seed-for-schools to sign up today!