posted by Alita Spink, Schools and Learning Support Officer

The Angus Potato Project 2018 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 6th March 2018 at the Community Campus 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, we would therefore encourage at least 1 teacher from each school to attend.  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.

Volunteer farmers may also 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.uk  

Project places are allocated on a first come first served basis and fill up very quickly so if you want to guarantee a place please register as soon as possible.

Carol Littlewood
Project Co-ordinator RHET ACI
25, Borrowfield Crescent
Montrose
ANGUS
DD10 9BR

Mobile: 0791 999 2064
E-mail: angus@rhet.org.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RHETAngusCI
Website: www.rhet.org.uk