Week 8 (Week 3 of new group)

           Fruit and drinks to start with

Much excitement today - visit of Border TV film crew. The weather wasn't on our side today unfortunately - heavy showers, sleet some of the time. But that didn't deter the hardy gardeners from outdoor tasks such as pulling up and clearing the old brassicas, sowing peas, digging up artichokes and picking herbs.

Tarragon, to flavour the pizzas (today's recipe)

In the polytunnel, there was also a clearance operation, as the purple sprouting broccoli and kale plants had grown very large: they had gone to seed and were in the way. Pulling up these big plants, some of which looked like small trees, was a tough job, especially for little people, but the ground is now clear for replanting. Well done gardeners. This activity was filmed, not sure what it will look like on TV, we are looking forward to finding out! We also potted up some strawberry plants that had self seeded in the bed, and the children took these home with them at the end. They are vigorous, healthy plants which should yield some fruit in a few weeks. Don't forget to water them! Meanwhile, another group sowed courgette and pumpkin seeds into small pots. 



There was an interesting range of activities today, despite the rain, and some good shots for the TV camera crew. 

 

After the garden session, the children and families were filmed as they made their way to the Methodist Hall for the cookery session. Looking forward to seeing this on the local Border news programme. At the cookery session, the children made pizzas: this involved making passata tomato sauce for the pizza, rolling out the dough, and decorating with jerusalem artichokes and herbs from the garden.

                                        TV crew at the cookery session >

 

 

Week 7 (Week 2 of new group)

Today was sunny, and relatively warm. A good opportunity for some outdoor work. Activities were: planting potatoes, starting a new square foot garden and harvesting veg and herbs for the cookery session. 

Here is the first group's square foot garden, showing healthy growth...

...and the new one, just planted up

 

The radishes we sowed last week are already beginning to grow

 The peas planted a few weeks earlier are doing well and ready to pick as salad shoots

Broad beans, sown in March

 The cookery session: today's recipes: 

 Here we are, preparing, mixing, chopping, tying:

Scooping out the potato for the mash

Tied green beans. Requires lots of skill - and patience

 

Making Potato and Celeriac Mash

                                                                                               There - mine's completed

That was a great session! We are expecting the Border TV film crew next week. Hope the weather stays good.

Week 6 (week 1 of new group)

A new set of thirteen children, plus families, arrived for their first session. After enjoying the healthy snacks and juices provided, the project was briefly explained, together with health and safety rules. The children were introduced to the team leaders.

Heather introduces the first activity

The first activity was a 'game' or treasure hunt (as in the first week with the first group). The children were divided into two groups, each group was given a set of flags denoting the various vegetables and plants around the garden. The task was to stick the flags next to the corresponding veg/plant. This was done fairly easily, and provided a useful introduction to the garden. 

Activities that followed were: sowing mustard and cress seeds onto tissue paper in trays:

radish seeds in compost:



                                                                       That's it, all sown..........now give them a drink

and a 'hands-on' introduction to composting (a range of compostable and non-compostable materials had been brought in for the children to sort):



 

Afterwards, potatoes were collected from storage and leeks harvested for today's cookery recipes (leek and potato soup and bread rolls).

Here is the cookery session (leek and potato soup and bread rolls):