Help with Pre-School Allotment

acemoola

My daughter goes to a pre-school in a village, where we are lucky enough to have accquired a lovely allotment, right next to the pre-school building.I've volunteered myself to run it (!!) - the preschool is a charity so though professionally staffed, other admin/ other tasks done by parents.
I've grown some of my own veg at home, but I am inexperienced on an allotment. We'd like to grow produce - that hopefully we can give/sell to parents - but also grow things that will stimulate kid's interest in growing things.
Does anyone have any experience of running a community allotment. Or does anyone have an allotment season planner....
Also do you think I'm likely to get anywhere writing to local garden centres, asking for contributions in terms of seeds, grit, soil etccc?
Thanks for any help, anyone can offer!
Claire

Gebo26

If it is anything larger than a very small allotment you are going to need a plentiful and consistent supply of voluntary labour.
If the pre-school closes for Easter and summer holidays you will have to arrange to tend the crops during those periods and harvest them as they mature.
As you have grown some vegetables at home you will be able to do the same on an allotment, only on a bigger scale and with a wider range of produce. Any advice on what to grow, how to grow it and where to get supplies can be sought from other plotholders in the village - provided that they exist, of course!
As for selling produce to parents, I would definitely do so, rather than give it away. I have known people take anything which is free and then not bother to use it, whereas if a charge is made they buy only what they are going to use.

Best of luck with the project.

Debt_Free_Chick

I agree - you need some help help!

Does the village have a gardening society - they would help. What about the WI? Both may be able to help with funding - and they will have access to grants, which are usually only available to established voluntary groups (e.g. ones with a "constitution" and rules etc).

If you have a parish magazine, write up articles each month as letting people know what's going on is one of the best ways to stimulate interest and get offers of help!

One point to bear in mind ..... surely the pre-school is going to want any volunteer to be CRB checked ......?

thecornflake

Try this for a year planner -
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/veg_planner.asp

i just helped our local preschool clear an extra bit of garden and we're hoping to grow some stuff so it will be interesting to see how you get on.

A good forum for veg growing is -
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/index.php

Lots of people there have allotments, swap seeds etc.

RAS

Hi

No real experience with this but a few ideas.

You have a largish space and you need things that will be ready to use in term-time. As well as growing annual plants, how about growing some fruit? Rhubarb, goosberris, strawberries and rasps are all ripe in the spring/early summer. blackberries, apples and pears and autumn raspberries for later in the year. the kids can pick it, help prepare it and eat it. Needs a lot less work than annuals, mulch with chippings from the local tree surgeon.

You may still be able to get overwintering onions to put in now, plus Aquadulce broad beans.

With little kids, you need to grow some big seeds. Good things are beans, peas and potatoes. All three can be started indoors.

Put a notice in the hut for the local allotment society. Put a note on your local group of www.freecycle.org, with permission, and ask for seed plants and tools throught he parish or localnewpaper/letters.

If you want to try http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_changing_spaces?regioncode=-uk&status=theProg, the Big Lottery fund

Physical improvements to local green spaces, community gardens, allotments, footpaths and nature reserves
Local food growing and retailing, box schemes, farmers markets and composting
Access to the natural environment through better information and signposting

Add a nature area. - bird boxes or feeders, insect hotels, flower garden to attract beneficial insects etc.

Debt_Free_Chick

Other sources of grants .... Parish Council and the Rural Communities Council.

We've received grants from both for the creation of a Community Orchard including the purchase of an apple press!!! OK for juice, but a bit more work involved if we want to make cider

quietheart

Anyone feeling creative?!
It will be used by a group of about ten 3-7 yr olds and their parents. There are some raised beds but some arty type projects would be fun as well.
This is new to me so am hoping for inspiration!

jellymid

Sounds fun! How about scarecrow making, or sunflower and pumpkin growing competitions..if you have the space! Quick crops would probably be good - to avoid harvesting over the summer holidays, maybe radishes, peas for podding, carrots picked small etc. You could get them recycling, using unusual containers, old wellies, washing machine drums etc. You could ask the teachers if there is anything in the curriculum that they would like to address..propagation, healthy living etc. Good luck - hope you all have fun:T

takoo

Hi rovers

Depends on the size but do one of more of:

1. a plant painting - layout of coloured leafed plants
2. a labyrinth of plants
3. a times-table in plants (for Swots)
4. the alphabet in plants
5. start with a paper competition A to Z vegetables and flowers - each child (or in groups) researches for the list from Mum and Dad's gardening books or in the local library etc. Then the seeds for each is planted As Bs Cs ...Zs.

Maybe a local gardening centre will sponsor your project/ get the local press involved to generate seeds etc.

Best of luck
Takoo

nanamags

This website may be of use to you www.growveg.com. Most kids these days are computor literate even little ones so this could also be part of the lessons.
The BBC also have a website which may be useful. http://www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces

Hope this helps

Mags

quietheart

thanks for the speedy response everyone!
i like the recycling ideas, growing things out of junk, mades the plot look fab as well.
plant painting, sounds lovely. your other ideas sound great but out of my league maybe i just set my heights too low!
asking the staff about curriculum links is a good one too.
keep them coming, i'm all ears!