Green-fingered pupils at Muirkirk Primary School got stuck into growing vegetables and other produce at Dumfries House recently as part of a food education programme which has been hailed a “triumph”.
As part of The Prince’s Foundation’s Growing Together, Cooking Together programme, P5/6 students worked with estate joiners and a food education team to create their own planters which now sit in newly-established vegetable beds within school grounds.
They then planted and cultivated vegetables before harvesting their crop and armed with an array of self-grown greens, produced delicious soup, courgette bakes and carrot muffins - all under the supervision of professional chefs.
Christopher Jackson, class teacher at Muirkirk PS, said: “The Growing Together, Cooking Together project has been an absolute triumph. I have been delighted to be able to watch a group of young people who started with little to no skills in garden production and maintenance turn into fully fledged, green-fingered gardeners.
“All pupils now have a greater sense of where their food comes from and the processes it goes through before it appears on their plate. In the ever-growing crisis of climate change and a changing world in which those who grow our food face ever tighter economic restrictions and harsh working conditions, it is only right that we open the eyes of the future generation to the plights faced by the world and food growers.
“A huge thank you should go to the expertise and guidance of The Prince’s Foundation staff, who have always been on hand to guide us on the project. They have been so patient, understanding and encouraging and I strongly believe that every school would benefit from being able to take part in a similar project.
“As a teacher, I have been able to cover so many experiences and outcomes in a way that I did not think was possible.”
The programme aims to promote healthy lifestyle choices and encourage pupils to learn in an “outdoor classroom” environment. They participated in activities focusing on plant science and growing vegetables, as well as sustainable gardening, encouraging wildlife and protecting soil.
Iona Murray, farming and rural skills co-ordinator at The Prince’s Foundation, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure working with Muirkirk Primary School to develop their school and community garden.
“Witnessing how much their horticulture knowledge and confidence in the garden has improved over the course has been wonderful. The pupils have worked so hard from day one, managing to create their own planters, sow and plant a variety of vegetables, care for and tend to the beds.
“They gained an appreciation of where their food comes from, why eating locally and seasonally is important and what they can do to reduce food waste.
“Their hard work paid off as we got a fantastic harvest from the garden that the pupils used to produce some tasty food. It was great to see all pupils tasting what they had made.”
She added: “I am so proud of what they have achieved and look forward to seeing how the garden is developed further as they pass on to their peers the skills and knowledge they have developed.”
In 2019, P7 pupils from Greenmill and Netherthird primary schools in Cumnock completed the Growing Together, Cooking Together programme.
To find out more about the food education programmes for primary and secondary school groups, email education@dumfries-house.org.uk
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