news & talk in the community

Home Grown Community Owned (HogCO) has been working with Chagford Church of England Primary School over the last few months to help it boost its food production.

The school has become ‘self-performing’ following the government change in school meals delivery. This means the school is able to decide its own menus, source ingredients locally, and meaningfully grow its own food for the kitchen to make into delicious meals.

Claire Ash Wheeler, one of the school’s governors, says, “We already have a gardening club where children have their own growing spaces, but we want to expand this to allow all classes to be involved in outdoor learning. We plan to develop an outdoor classroom facility with a cob oven, which can be used by children and the local community. We also intend that by cooking food the children grow themselves, using menus they have chosen, the children will understand the whole cycle, and food waste will be reduced”.

Jo Clark, Director of Land Based Learning at Embercombe, and Jane Pickard from HogCO, have developed a whole site plan for the school, based on permaculture principles. This will allow the school to greatly expand its food production, including a new orchard and extensive soft fruit areas, as well as separate veg patches for younger and older students. Jane says, “Chagford Primary has such a beautiful site with plenty of land, so it will be perfectly possible for them to grow lots of food as well as maintain all their other interests, such as sports, basketry willow growing and craft, and a wildlife area”.

HogCO is working with several schools across Devon, providing advice, training and some funds. If your school would like to increase its food production, give us a call and see if we can help. Call 01392 383423 or email carol@devonrcc.org.uk.

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