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I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this time of the year, not least because spring is finally here and we can now start to sow some seeds, but also because this is the time of the year when we kick off our national schools’ growing campaign.
For the last 6 years we’ve been working with our friends at Innocent to get children growing as a way to re-establish their connection with food. This year’s Sow & Grow campaign is the biggest we’ve ever done with over 250,000 children in total taking part in Ireland and the UK. In Ireland alone, 45,000 children will take part in 1,500 schools over the coming months.
They will sow seeds in special Sow & Grow cups in an in-classroom exercise with their teacher. Because the sowing is done in cups (that can be taken home afterwards), any school can take part, regardless of whether they have a school garden or not, and regardless of whether the teacher has any food-growing expertise.
Food-growing movement statistics
As part of the launch this year we’re revealing statistics from a household survey carried out by Behaviour and Attitudes Ireland. The results show food-growing moving into the mainstream.
We were thrilled to hear that 99% of those surveyed believe it is valuable for kids to learn how to grow their own food at school, and also that 47% of those surveyed have grown some food at home in the previous 12 months.
Though the scale of Sow & Grow is immense this year, these survey results show that parents want more food-growing to happen at school. One of the most important steps our Government could take to get children healthy is to put food on the curriculum – this research shows that parents want this to happen and understand how beneficial it would be.
Food empathy
Research shows us that when children grow some of their own food they develop what we call “food empathy”, a deeper connection with food, which is proven to lead to a healthier life.
Food empathetic children have better diets, eat more fruit and vegetables and have a better understanding of food and nutrition. At a time when Ireland still has among the highest rates of childhood obesity in the EU, establishing a deeper connection with food is more important than ever.
On a smaller scale we’re also working with a number of schools in Waterford on an Eat Together social eating programme. We deliver a 2-course hot dinner and the children take a full 45 minutes to eat together using proper plates, bowls and cutlery.
It’s a world away from the normally wolfed-down sandwich. Instead the children enjoy a delicious, nutritious dinner, in a sociable way, experiencing new tastes with their peers.
Research from last term’s programme shows us that the children were more likely to try new foods at home as a result, and that 100% of parents wanted the programme to continue. These are small, but important steps to put food back at the centre of education, where it belongs.
Schoolteachers can apply for a free Sow & Grow pack, which will then be delivered to their school over the coming weeks.
Top 5 Tips for Growing Food with Kids
Recipe of the Week – Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
This is a lovely spicey soup that’s full of iron and low in fat.
Ingredients
Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas.
Scoop out about half of the seeds with a spoon and set aside. Add the oil, carrot, lentils, stock and milk to the pan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened.
Whizz the soup with a hand blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer). Season to taste and finish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices.
Michael Kelly is founder of GIY and GROW HQ.
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what they should of tackled was gangs of teenagers carrying knives and killing each other and shown that around schools something thats true to society instead of work of fiction
@kaidon sharkey: what’s wrong with works of fiction of of a sudden?
@Dermot Blaine: Read his comment again and again, until you understand it, my friend
@Dermot Blaine: nothing….i like fiction esp sci fi….but if everyone is harping on about…oh this should be on in schools….but its only fiction…as my point they should of tackled reality about teenage gangs and the knife culture of stabbing each other would hit home more
@Dermot Blaine: Sure what did Shakespear ever teach us about anything?
@kaidon sharkey: Could, perhaps, one of the reasons for violent knife crime be rooted in some of the online stuff that happens?
@ecrowley ecrowley: like what
@kaidon sharkey: cos adolescents are not equipped to deal with the stuff they see online. They’re not equipped to see through some of the well known charlatans that are prominent.
@ecrowley ecrowley: ive been playing gta since the 90’s ive never went out and ran over somebody…watched horrors since i was a young a young fella and never killed anyone…the mediums may have changed but not everyone is going to go out and do what ever an advertiser says online dont like the term influencer…now there does be one or two that does go out and do all that but thats an amonolly…the majority is gangs and turf wars that there is more killings over that then what some one says online
What fluffy malarkey…… I raised my sons to be the best they could be, respect for everyone, ignore skin colour, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, political leanings or soccer team affiliation. I don’t need any netflix hyped fiction to ‘ enlighten ‘ me thanks
@Buster Lawless: well said!
@Buster Lawless: how can you raise your children to have respect for others when you don’t show respect yourself…you were banned on here last year after you were reported several times for horrible things you said…so leave it out with the fake outrage.
@Clare Power: with all due respect ma’am I’ve never been ‘banned’from anything, lest of all an open comments board intended for meaningful discussion, informative debate & very valid/ educational viewpoints
@Buster Lawless: oh please..pull the other one Ken..
@Clare Power: yesterday I was kevvy, generally you go for brendan……. I like this one ..ken……I’ll take that cheers
@Buster Lawless: every single comment made on this platform is kept…please show me where I called you brendan or kev…I’ll wait…oh no you can’t because I didn’t but you are the lovely Mary also…
@Buster Lawless: “I don’t need any netflix hyped fiction to ‘ enlighten ‘ me thanks” woah that’s some ultra triggered s41t. It’s not all about you buddy.
@Buster Lawless: more lies from the troll Buster!! You should watch this program as it helps showcase the masculine toxicity taking over society.
@Lance Taylor: Buster is a very precious ego centric. He couldn’t handle it. Conspiracy theories are more soothing.
@Buster Lawless: Ignoring isn’t helpful. Unfortunately, the “I don’t see color” comment often times just shuts down conversation. It’s a subtle message to the group that “seeing race” is a bad thing; therefore, there shouldn’t be discussion about it. “I don’t see color is the get out of talking or doing anything about racism card that ‘good white people’ carry in their wallet. The same goes for sexual orientation.
@Louis Jacob: he has cloned my profile before and spouts unbelievable lies. Reported many times.
@Jack Burton: Perhaps the most obvious way to interpret the “I don’t see color” comment is one of self-congratulation. Indeed, they’re making it known that they’re not a “racist” white person. They are in fact a “good” white person and as a “good” white person, they are so non-racist that they don’t even have the ability to notice race. It’s incredibly insulting to be informed that an aspect of people’s identity will be treated as ‘unseen’ and ‘erasable.’
@Buster Lawless:You guys are so out there man. You support Musk who’s been using his 2 year old as a prop and a defence, in full view of the world, as he turns himself into a super villain, or Putin who conscripts 15 year old Cossack boys and sends them off to hell, never to be seen again… but this guy does a perfectly normal thing with his son where they address a few basic principals before the boy becomes a man and you have the pearls clutched like old bats. So f%*king weird man.
@Jack Burton: “I don’t even notice/see colour” can be like you say and serve as a virtue signal but I believe if one connects to all as kindred then another meaning for this declaration develops where the innate humanity is what is always noticed first. Without question most people could identify white/non white after just a cursory glance but before that glance there is a connection. Some people who say “I don’t see colour” really mean “I don’t see colour until after I’ve connected with a human like myself”
@Buster Lawless: it’s an opinion piece! And after reading your reply I think that you’re the very 1 who needs to watch it!
Unfortunately lots of kids who are now 4, 7 or 10 years age in some Dublin hoods inherit their fathers behaviour with toxic silly macho masculinity, silly and shinny shoes or clothing, hate for people who look different than ones in their small world etc.
@Chris: my goodness what a complete and utter snob….your prejudice shining through and yet you probably think for some reason you’re morally superior….what an utter shameful and horrible post!
@Chris: toxic macho four year olds? We really do need that digital ID asap. Hopefully that’ll put a stop to those haters
@Darth O’Leary: do you think that there are no toxic macho 4 year old in the city?
@Darth O’Leary: you, as far as I can see, you are the only hater on here, and you always get ridiculed
An interesting, honest article. Fair play.
Adolescence is a load of toss.
We have always had psychos in our midst.
@Fergus O’Donnell: it similar to the fuss caused when the film thirteen came out in 2003.
UK based drama, we are not the UK. Disrespect in the school told me everything I needed to know
I try to keep my son safe from this toxic series. Life is full of vicious and vile people, why do I need to force this upon him and get him to question himself at a young age. The soy latte generation want to break childhood and teenage boys with their reasons and sow doubht and fear into them, to effectively then control then with Their extreme leftist view of the world. Today, my son and I happily travelled across Northern Ireland to play chess with other players his age. All perfectly balanced from all segments of society and races. Sitting down to play chess, challenge themselves and grow in mind and spirut and for the love of the game. It’s pure. Not sitting him down in front of violence on the TV. Wake up people, let them have innocence.
Nobody understands the hardships of being on dialysis
Watch the anti Catholic comments shoot up now
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