Canonbury and Highbury Grove pupils grow their own food

Published: 24th June, 2011
by PAVAN AMARA

CHILDREN have been learning “the value of food” thanks to a growing scheme that started five years ago.

Canonbury primary school joined forces with Highbury Grove secondary school earlier this year, and nominated 20 children aged between five and 12 for a day of gardening at the Canonbury Road school.

Canonbury year two teacher Paul Huckerby said: “We have been meeting fortnightly since February, after school for a few hours. Today is about organising the garden properly, learning about new plants, and making growing space. We’ve been growing tomatoes, potatoes and mint, to name but a few, and in July we’ll have a dinner with the ingredients.”

Seven-year-old Salman Ayadi, who was busy shovelling heaps of soil, said: “I love digging because you get so messy. I live in flats, and we have a commun­ity garden, but there are bricks lying around everywhere. The only way you’d get messy in our community garden is if you fell into the dog poo that’s everywhere. It.s good to be messy here without any dog poo.”

Kate Fenhaus, who runs Canonbury primary school’s gardening club. “The kids get to connect to food production.”