Kokova Magazine

This October, three London schools are holding farmers markets as part of an exciting new two year project for the capital.

Over the coming year and a half the Soil Association will be working with 10 schools across London in the Farm Academy Programme, which helps teach pupils about where their food comes from through farm visits and the establishment of school farmers markets - organized entirely by pupils.

Over the summer, Jubilee Primary and Sebright Primary in Hackney and Poplar Primary in Merton spent four days on an organic farm, taking part in a variety of activities - from cheese-making to hen-keeping and growing and harvesting vegetables.

Back in the classroom, pupils have applied what they learnt to establishing termly farmers markets beginning this October - selling their own school-grown produce as well as that from local and sometimes organic producers.

As well as providing opportunities for pupils to learn about food and farming, the Farm Academy Programme helps support small, local producers through the school markets and provides the opportunity for members of the school and wider community to buy local, fresh and seasonal produce and meet the farmers behind the food.

The scheme is really important to help London pupils realise where their food comes from. The Food for Life Partnership and our school garden have already helped pupils at our school learn more about food and food production. The Farm Academy Programme will allow us to build on this success. Through the farm visits and the running of school farmers markets, the pupils become champions for helping promote healthy eating in the wider community.

Roz Wilson - Teacher, Millfield Primary School, London.

Pupils are involved in running the markets from start to finish. They take responsibility for what happens and the decisions are theirs - enabling schools to communicate the importance of sustainably-produced local food and providing a context for looking at food chain issues and understanding where food comes from.

Money raised from producer stall fees and the sale of produce made/grown by the school will go towards further farm visits or food education in their school.

At the moment all schools enrolled on the scheme are primary but the success of the programme means it is now being extended to secondary as well.

The Farm Academy Programme is a fantastic scheme because everyone involved benefits. You see a real difference in pupils as they learn 'on-the-job' about farming, animal welfare, food growing and cooking - but it also helps provide a new market for local producers and micro- food enterprises; and it also gives the local community the opportunity to buy affordable and fresh local produce, and meet the farmers who are producing the food.

Rupert Aker, Head of Learning at the Soil Association

Visit www.soilassociation.org