A busy Staff Training Day

On Friday this week, we had approximately 30 teachers from many Highland Primary Schools and Education Centres in school for a "Get Growing" training day.

 Toni and Norman from RoWAN (Ross-shire Waste Action Network) and Maggie from RHET (Royal Highland Education Trust) were running the event and they were both in the classroom and out in the garden.  Thanks folks for all the weeding you have done for us!

 Miss Swallow joined them after lunch for a "question & answer" session.  They were interested to hear about DiGGers and how gardening has taken off at the Academy.  It was great to meet so many keen educators and I wish them all well in their growing challenges!

If anyone has any questions or comments - not just about DiGGers but your own growing successes or doubts, please feel free to use the comments section below to post queries and I will certainly endeavour to answer them as best I can!

In future, I hope to develop a link to a forum that we can all use to communicate, share ideas and even arrange plant or seed swaps.  There may also be the opportunity to buy peat-free compost (made from Bracken and Sheep's Wool) at a bulk price in future so watch this space!

Growing Hub Launch Event

On Wednesday 12th February, we were proud to host an event that gave primary schools the chance to share all the good gardening and food waste reduction activities that they are doing in their schools.  It was also our chance to launch the "Growing Hub".  This is in response to us gaining funding from the the “Food for Thought” programme supported by Education Scotland, Scottish Government and Scottish Business in the Community.  We will be working with RoWAN (Ross-shire Waste Action Network) and RHET (Royal Highland Education Trust) to encourage food growing and composting amongst schools and to provide training for interested teachers - there is already a course planned at the Academy on Friday 21st February.

 Ben Wyvis pupils wait to see the others present their activities.  They have growing space for each class in their lovely new school!  We showed them our "paper pot makers" as we waited for lunch and they loved the idea of being able to make pots out of old newspaper and then plant them out without disturbing the roots of the seedling once they have grown through the paper!

 Muirtown Primary pupils

 Dingwall Primary pupils did a great presentation - you can see they had costumes to suit!  They were representing various members of staff in school who are involved with their food growing and waste reduction projects.

 At 10.30 we had a break and DiGGers served refreshments.

 St. Clements' pupils tell us about how they cook their own snacks rather than buy commercial ones that may contain unhealthy additives and excessive wrapping.

  The talks were all very interesting.  Dingwall Primary finish the program of talks for the day.

 After that, we gave everyone a tour of the school garden, new fruit garden and the RIDAN composter - having the handle turned here to keep the contents oxygenated.  It's very hot inside now - steam rises when you take the lid off!

 We returned to the hall for lunch - again DiGGers were making sure everyone got some food...

...before they tucked in themselves!

A huge thank you goes to Toni and Norman at RoWAN for their part in organising the event.  Also to Debbie from the office here at the Academy for driving the mini-bus to bring some pupil groups to the event and back.  Lastly the biggest thank you goes to all the schools that attended and were so keen on recycling, composting, cutting down waste, growing and eating their produce!  We hope to see you again in the future and hear about more exciting projects.  Your talks were inspirational so thank you for sharing them with everyone.