Children's no dig fruit and veg farm reaps award

Children at Sir Robert Geffery's Primary School had a bumper potato crop

A primary school in Cornwall has won a sustainable farming award with its no dig project.

Pupils at Sir Robert Geffery's primary school in Landrake have been avoiding digging into the soil by laying cardboard with compost on top to retain nutrients in the soil.

They have also been making their own compost by collecting manure from the school farm's sheep, chickens, donkeys and guinea pigs.

The school won the bronze demonstration school award from charity Linking Environment and Farming (Leaf), which has been working with schools to promote sustainable ways of growing vegetables.

Potatoes, sweetcorn, beetroot, broad beans, cucumbers, sunflowers and flowers are among the crops grown

Teaching assistant Claire Brown said: "The children benefit so much from the different ways in which they use our lovely farm.

"Each class had their own area to grow, and it's gone better than anyone expected.

"The children have really enjoyed seeing the process, watching the seedlings grow, they've weeded, they've tended and finally, done the harvesting.

"And it's been really good for them to see and learn that food doesn't just come from the supermarket, that you can grow it yourself and it tastes really nice."

The children have sowed, weeded and harvested their crops

She said the no dig approach had reaped dividends with a "really healthy environment for the seedlings to grow".

"There are potatoes, sweetcorn, beetroot, broad beans, sunflowers and there have been flowers as well," she said.

"Year four grew potatoes and they harvested last week, and they had 386 potatoes, which was just over 15 kilos (33lb).

"They were really excited for that."

She also thanked parents on the farm committee and staff involved.

"It's just nice to be awarded that and be recognised for how hard we work and how amazing our farm is," she said.