posted by Carol Littlewood, Project Co-ordinator RHET ACI

The Angus Potato Project is OPEN TO ALL PRIMARY SCHOOLS in ANGUS and DUNDEE and although aimed mainly at Primary 4 other year groups can also take part if they wish.  RHET ACI will supply free of charge all you need to take part, including planting containers, compost and seed potatoes.  We also have lots of learning materials available to download free to supplement your pupils learning experience. RHET ACI are very grateful to have secured continued support us take the project forward from McCain Potatoes and RGS Forfar Ltd.

So, sign up and follow the life of the potato, with help from one of our RHET ACI volunteer farmers who will come to your school and help you plant your SUPERSPUDS. They will also talk to your pupils about the life of the potato and how potatoes are grown on farms around Angus and Dundee.

There are also two trophies to compete for, one for the school that grows the heaviest crop of potatoes from the seed potatoes provided, harvesting them just before the summer holidays and also a prize for the best project submitted to us, showing what you have done to use your potato growing in different aspects of Curriculum for Excellence.

The potatoes classes will be growing are an early variety called Shepody, which McCain growers send off to be made into fries for McDonalds.

Also back by popular demand, we will be having a short teacher briefing after school on Tuesday 28th February 2017 in the training rooms at Angus House in Forfar.  This briefing event gives you the chance to meet some of the volunteer farmers involved in the project and is also when teachers pick up all the materials for the project.  This is when you will also be briefed on how to get the most out of this fantastic learning experience, have the potato chitting process explained and be given helpful hints on how to care for the potatoes.

Many of our volunteer farmers will be happy to come back to the school to help the pupils harvest their potatoes in June and some will be involved in the judging of the projects that are submitted.

If you are interested in taking part in the project just drop an e-mail with your school name, class numbers and your contact details to your local Project Co-ordinator, Carol Littlewood 0791 999 2064 or angus@rhet.org Project places are allocated on a first come first served basis and fill up quite quickly.