The STC Schools project is based at the centre and was initially set-up with funds from Selby District Leader+. This involves local primary schools growing crops on their own allotments at STC. Gardening and growing clubs from local schools also visit to learn more about horticulture and undertake a range of activities.

The company sees an important role in helping re-connect the public with food production and also in promoting the benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables as part of the ‘5 a day’ campaign. As part of this commitment STC hold regular open days for members of the public to view current trials and commercial growing practices.

The last week in June and first week in July saw over 600 local school children descend on Stockbridge. These single visits are aimed at schools across Yorkshire who would not be able to visit STC as part of our other school projects due to distance.

Food Live saw children harvesting strawberries, new potatoes, lettuce, radish, courgettes and broccoli to take home. They also had a tour of the glasshouses and picked mini plum tomatoes and cherry to taste plus hearing about how cucumbers are grown. All children also went away with a punnet of cherry tomatoes donated by English Village Salads. In addition to harvesting the fresh produce they also made butter, milked a cow (wooden!), cooked healthy pizzas and carrot cake buns. On the first 2 days they also learned about Biofuels from staff at the Novel Non Food Crop Centre at York.

The Big Harvest also involved children harvesting crops plus 7 groups cooking on the Yorkshire Forward Cooking Bus. The Cooking Bus is a fantastic resource for the region and the third time that it has been to STC. The children cooked with the produce harvested in the field and shown how to handle knives safely in the kitchen. This was followed by a fruit taste challenge to see if they could identify all the fruit put in front of them, talk about seasonality and to see how far some fruit has to travel to get on the supermarket shelves. The event was aimed at getting children interested in growing their own produce and hopefully we have started this journey.

STC expanded its activities with schools in Spring 2009 by piloting a business and enterprise scheme. This involved schools growing bedding plants using STC facilities.

Six local schools were selected and a short presentation made to teaching staff and Year 5 or 6 pupils. The children decided which bedding species to grow from a list of 8 plus a few vegetables. They decided how many trays to grow, pricked the plug plants out at school or STC with the plants grown on at STC for 4-6 weeks. During the growing period they would have to develop a marketing strategy after doing some market research, set prices and get orders!. STC provided free plug plants and seed but charged the schools for trays, pots, compost and rent for the glasshouse area used.

Two weeks before dispatch

The scheme was a great success with several schools taking it very seriously and setting up Board of Directors. Most schools made between £300 and £500 profit after deducting costs. The children then decided how to spend the profit.

Based on this initial success we will be expanding to 10 schools in 2010 and are encouraged by the very positive feedback from parents and schools.

To find out more about current guidance and support on healthy school meals visit the School Food Trust website - www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk www.5aday.nhs.uk