17TH MARCH 2011
GARDEN CLUB 2011
Tuesdays 12.15-1pm and Wednesdays 3.30-4.30pm
Our first after school Garden Club of the year went very well and was enjoyed by all.
However we only had two members. The infants will now be invited to join and we have quite a few children interested. Mr. Cooper from Class 4 will be helping with Garden Club and has many new ideas and skills to offer. This week we planted some bedding plants in the post around school and hope you have all noticed hope bright and cheery they look. We prepared some more beds with manure and hops and then planted some onion sets. Sessions this year will include:
Planning : design vegetable/flower beds. Plan timetable of sowing, planting and harvesting.
Education : Wormery, Composting, Organic pest control. Eating a healthy diet. All classes to have a specific vegetable to raise themselves in the school curriculum.
Products : Jams, fruit crumbles, items on school menu, Gifts – bulb pots, herbs, selling plants
Landscaping: Making the school grounds and classrooms look neat and colourful.
Harvest Show and Hoedown 2010
The HARVEST SHOW was held in the School hall on 25TH September. There were a total of 88 entries in the 16 categories, the most popular being the painted pebble section. Prizes were awarded from 2pm when the hall was open for tea and cakes and the event was well attended. Many thanks go to the three judges: Fokel de Vries – Beehive Newsagent and local florist, Mike Tullis --Inglefeild Speciality Plants and Andrew Taylor-- Chairman of Staveley and District Angling Association, Parish Councillor. Also thanks to Phil Booth for the weighing. Many thanks also to the Beehive Newsagents for allowing the entry forms to be picked up and dropped off there.
The variety and quality of entries excelled all we could have hoped for and everyone was discussing what they would enter in next years show!
Here are the results:
All ages sections
Funniest shaped fruit/vegetable (no entries)
Children’s section (under 13’s)
Heaviest Marrow SPONSORED by HAYTONS BUTCHERS, Heaviest onion SPONSORED by HAWKSHEAD BREWERY, Vase of garden flowers SPONSORED by BATH HOUSE, Arrangement of hedgerow flowers SPONSORED by EFFLORESCENCE FLORIST, Jewellery made from fruit and vegetables SPONSORED by SENS, Herbs in a jam jar SPONSORED by ANNONYMOUS DONER, Victoria sponge SPONSORED by EAGLE AND CHILD, Chocolate brownie SPONSORED by MORE BAKERY, Shortbread SPONSORED by ANNONYMOUS DONER, Miniature garden SPONSORED by ST JAMES RESOURCE GROUP, Heaviest potato SPONSORED by CHARLOTTE AND ANDY SMITH, Animal made out of vegetables SPONSORED by ANNONYMOUS DONER, Painted pebble SPONSORED by 4 WINDS LAKELAND TIPIS, Fairy cakes SPONSORED by STAVELEY SCHOOL
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The Show was followed later in the evening by the HARVEST HOWDOWN, a two-course supper and ceilidh dancing to a local group of musicians named for the evening as the Pumpkin Eaters. The vicar Geoff opened the evening with a rousing YEE HAH and then everyone enjoyed the supper of homemade Shepard’s pie and apple crumble/pie for desert. The dancing went down well especially with the younger ones, even Dave Clarkson was up on his feet by the end after giving us the firm “I’m not dancing!” as soon as we mentioned the Hoedown.
Many thanks go to Sally Thoms and Elle Duffin for helping to decorate the village Hall, Martin Black for the hay bales and many people in the village for their delicious deserts.
The evening was a great success and people are still saying how much they enjoyed themselves.
Both the Harvest Show and Hoedown are new community events for Staveley 2010 but we hope to be able to continue in 2011. A total of £423.28 was raised by the groups involved, which were St. James Church Resource Group, SENS (Sustainable Energy Network Staveley), FOSS (Friends of Staveley School) and Staveley School Garden Club.
We have had a good start to the season in the School Garden. All classes are now involved in the garden and have jobs to do as well as the Garden Club members.
Eleanor has been making new raised beds so we can grow a greater variety of produce and many thanks to Martin Black the local farmer for providing some well-rotted manure.
We have had help from members of the S.E.N.S group providing manpower and compost.
A TYRE FULL OF TULIPS
Reception have their own tubs and planters and are growing potatoes in a basket, onions in a desk and strawberries in a special strawberry planter.
Class 1 planted broad beans in the classroom and then planted them out in the raised beds they are growing great and the class is in charge of watering them.
Class 2 chitted two different varieties of early potato Rooster and Sharp’s Delight and then planted them out in potato sacks and again are responsible for watering them.
We have also prepared the information for our garden calendar wheel and will be finishing it shortly.
Class 3 have also prepared the information for our garden calendar wheel and will be finishing theirs shortly. We planted some runner bean seeds in one of our new Morisson’s seed trays but they did not come up. We have now planted some more seeds in a tray and some straight into the ground and we are going to see how they progress.
Class 4 helped to build the new plastic greenhouses and cold frames and made some decomposable plant pots from old newspapers and then transplanted broccoli and courgette seedlings into them and put them in the greenhouses, and will be checking on the watering. We will be working on their garden calendar wheel shortly.
Class 5 have prepared the information for their garden calendar wheel and will be finishing it after half-term, they will also we planting pumpkin seeds ready fro Autumn harvesting.
In Class 2 today we have been learning all about potatoes and how to grow them. Here is a simple recipe for crisps that you may like to try together at home.
Make your own crisps using your microwave! A tasty and easy alternative to bought crisps (not to mention a lot cheaper). A mandoline or food processor makes slicing the potato into paper thin slices a lot easier. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 washed potato, sliced paper thin (peeling is optional, 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Preparation method1. Pour the vegetable oil into a plastic sandwich or freezer bag. Add the potato slices, and toss to coat. 2. Coat a large dinner plate lightly with oil. Arrange potato slices in a single layer on the dish. 3. Cook in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned (if not browned, they will not become crisp). Times will vary depending on the power of your microwave. Remove chips from plate, and toss with salt (or other seasonings). Let cool. Repeat process with the remaining potato slices. You will not need to keep oiling the plate.
ENJOY!
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GARDEN CLUB TRIP
PUMPKIN SOUP - This week we made Pumpkin Soup. The pumpkins came from our own garden. All the children and teachers had some. Below is a slide show of the day. Click here to download the recipe.
The chidlren also wrote a poem about their soup.
A poem written by Garden Club Members on 21/10
PIPS IN A PUMPKIN
UNDER THE GROUND
MIX THE PUMKIN UP
KITCHEN COOKING SPACE
IN GOES THE PUMKINS
NOW WE ARE STIRING
SOPPY SOUP
OPEN MOUTHS SAYING ‘WOW’
UNUSUAL FACES WE CAN MAKE WITH PUMPKINS
PUMKIN SOUP IS READY!!!!!!!!!!
We had a great time at the coffee morning and the GARDEN CLUB stall raised a total of £48, which together with the £10.20 we raised at the Harvest Festival means that wee now have £58.20 which is great. Our stall sold preserves made from GARDEN CLUB produce and local hedgerow fruits.
STAVELEY SCHOOL GARDEN CLUB NEWS 1/10/2009
We would like to build a recycled greenhouse like this made from 2 litre plastic bottles. This one was made by the Grow and Sow project in Lancashire.
Todays session was making our produce into chutney that we can sell to raise funds at the School Coffee Morning on 3rd October.
Some of the other children collected seeds from the sunflowers and nasturtiums.
Saffy and Jonah collecting seeds.
We picked and chopped and poured and stirred.
Peter, Angela, Katie chopping courgettes. 
Claire, Anna and Bella
Sue and the gang in the kitchen 
Danielle with the home grown toms.
The allotment site is growing all the time and future plans are to have more growing area, a polytunnel and a shed.
We tidied up the garden today and planted some celeriac.
The beautiful calendulas 
Our wonderful pumpkins .
We harvested all our produce for the Harvest Festival in church on Friday.
We picked carrots, onions, potatoes, green beans, broad beans, courgettes, gourds pumpkins and calendulas.
We sold some on a stall after the service and raised £10.20 for garden club funds.
Our funding bid for the local food campaign is in and we are waiting to hear if we can submit to the next level. For photos of the harvest festival see the main website.
Saffy and Vanilla being given their certificates from Mrs Hayes from Hayes Garden Centre
News from the TASTY TUBS COMPETITION.
First of all we all brought in some thing to use as a tub that was recycled, we got a suitcase, watering can, hat, yoghurt pots, chicken wire, shells, and other items.
We decided that the suitcase would make a great-raised bed and then we thought who has the most famous garden and it was Mr McGregor in the Beatrix Potter stories. However we had then come up with the idea of making a skirt out of the chicken wire and planting it with old yoghurt pots so it had to be Mrs McGregor!
We though how it would be good to use the old watering can to catch rain and then put a piece of old Hose in it to water the plants when it gets full. We also thought it would be nice if we could feed the birds so we filled a shell with birdseed.
Recycled things we have used in our TASTY TUBS display;
A watering can,
An old suitcase
A suitcase strap
Hazel sticks
A shell,
A child’s coat stand
A seaside bucket
A piece of watering pipe
Some chicken wire
Yoghurt, cream and coleslaw pots
Twigs to make the fence
Wellingtons
Plants we have used in our display:
Rosemary,Geraniums, Radish.
The judging was on 21st June at Hayes Garden Centre in Ambleside, the competition was judged by the gardening correspondent from The Westmorland Gazette, Sue Tasker. Mrs Hayes from Hayes Garden Centre gave out the prizes and we all were given a plum tree which members of the garden club will plant and we shall all enjoy the fruits next year.
The winners of the competition were Goodly Dale School in Windermere and Crosthwite School were runners up.
We all enjoyed entering the competition and the display will be in the raised beds for everyone to see at the Summer Fair on Friday 3 rd July.
The garden Club adults Suzanne Duckworth, Susan Clough Elle Lanham and Joyce Clarkson would like to thank all the children who took part for the efforts and enthusiasm.
Garden Club members are:
Bella and Saffy Duckworth, Anna and Peter Clough, Vanilla and Max Duffin, Angela Davies , Danielle Cooper, Katie Mathews, Indigo Russell
What a very wet and windy day again, we had to stay in the library for most of the session and then venture out into the garden to check everything before we left.
We discussed Hayes Garden Centre’s TASTY TUBS COMPETITION a designing and planning our entry to the recycling theme.
Writing thankyou letters in the library
We also discussed making the garden under the school sign a bit tidier and sending a note home to parents and children asking for help with plants.
Mr Duckworth kindly came and braved the weather to fit the water butt which will help to make our garden sustainable.
THIS WEEKS JOBS WERE
JOBS FOR THE FUTURE
STAVELEY SCHOOL GARDEN CLUB NEWS 30th APRIL 2009
We are now into our second week of Garden Club and there is a lot to do and we have new members and helpers. We have entered Hayes Garden Centre’s TASTY TUBS COMPETITION and have started designing and planning our entry.
Elle and Max digging 
Joyce, Katie and Danielle planting herbs
We have kindly been given plants from Hayes Garden Centre and Kendal Auction Mart via KATIE BLACK. All the equipment has now arrived from Morrisons
We have been feeding the birds and are thinking about wildlife.
7th January 2009
Happy New Year and thank you to everyone who collected their Morrisons ‘Let’s Grow’ vouchers. We collected over 3,500 altogether.We have ordered:
All the items ordered are due to arrive between March and April and will be for all teachers and children to use and for the use of the Garden Club which will start its weekly sessions again soon.
Update 4th December
On Wednesday 3rd after school (3.30pm-4.30pm) Garden Club members teamed up with After School Clubbers and we had a joint Christmas decorations and craft session where we made things from natural bits and pieces such as pinecones. twigs and holly. We also added things like glitter and card and some laminated Winter Wonderland signs were made into mobiles (see pictures). This week Margaret Capstick who helps with the Monday drop-in coffee morning at Church came in to make decorations and help some of the children with theirs. Thanks to Karen and Charlotte from after school club for letting us join them. We all had a great time and we will be meeting again at the same time next week for another session if any child and parent/guardian would like to come.
Jack making his decoration 
Ben and Jacob proudly showing what they have made.
Owen and Josh
Karen and Charlotte helping
Katie and her glitter holly Luke’s pine cone parcel Margaret Capstick helping with decs.
Update 27th November
On Wednesday 12th November we had our BULB MANIA planting session. Around 20 people joined in and we all had a great time planting lots of different bulbs including daffodils, tulips, narcissi, bluebells, anenomes, crocus and scilia.
All we need to do now is wait until the spring and watch all the bulbs come into flower and we will have glorious colour all around school. See if you can see any bulbs poking through you may find them in all sorts of weird and wonderful places!
Update 20th October
The residents of the Abbey were very grateful for the home grown produce we sent down from the Garden Club Harvest and say thank you very much to all involved.
We need a large old overcoat to smarten up our school scarecrow can anyone help?
We also need tidy looking second hand planters and troughs to plant our spring bulbs in and compost would also come in handy. Bring into school or contact Suzanne Duckworth 01539 823755
Bulb Mania!!
Garden Club will be planting spring flowering bulbs in pots and in the school gardens for a fanfare of colour to brighten up the cold spring mornings of 2009.
The session will be straight after school on WEDNESDAY 12TH NOVEMBER and is open for all children and their parents/carers to attend. Bring a bag of bulbs and a trowel if you have one and come and give the school ‘FLOWER POWER’
All donations of bulbs welcome.
Garden Club Harvest Basket of Produce update 5/10/08
Staveley School Garden Club were pleased to be able to present a beautiful basket of home grown flowers and vegetables at the Schools Harvest Service in St. James’s Church. The basket contained two types of potatoes, onions, tomatoes, parsley and mixed flowers. The basket was taken to the Abbey in Staveley.
The basket of produce
Some of the Garden Club Memebers with the produce basket.
Keep bringing in your Morrisons Garden Vouchers please. The date for the Bulb Mania bulb planting session around school will be announced shortly, please bring any bulbs you wish to donate to school.
Garden Club News12/09/08
Once we have tidied the borders and pots around school and harvested our produce of onions, potatoes, tomatoes and parsley Garden Club's general Tuesday slot will change.
For Autumn and Winter Garden Club will be having one session per month which will be open for parents and children to attend. We will start in October with Bulb Mania!! Where we will plant as many bulbs as we can around school and in pots. All donations of bulbs welcome. Other sessions will be Looking After Wildlife in Winter and making Natural Christmas Decorations. We will give more information on dates and times asap.
We have joined the Morrisons Supermarket Get Your School Growing scheme so please start sending in your ‘Lets Grow’ vouchers.
When Garden Club restarts in the Spring for its weekly sessions we will needs more parents/adults to help out. Can you help? see Suzanne Duckworth.
Garden Club News 14/7/08
The Garden Club stall at the Summer Fair raised £47. We sold sunflower and chilli plants that we had grown from seed, made poi from pine cones and sold some bric-a-brac. The money has paid for some of the bedding plants we put in the pots and we have some left over.
The scarecrow we designed and made ourselves is proving to be a popular addition to the garden and the perennial plants we were given are just starting to blossom.
To finish our first sessions of the garden club we are having a party on 15th July. After a last check on our potatoes and tomatoes which we hope to harvest after the hols we will play some gardening related games and enjoy some party food.
For the next sessions of the garden club we will have to make some changes to the way we run the club, we will send a letter out the first week back in September.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE.
We have been very busy in the garden lately as you can see from the photos. This we we are planting up one of the borders that we have taken all the stones out of and put lots of compost and fertilizer on. Shay planted out lots of bulbs and primulas and Sam and Luke made a mosaic of stones.
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Our first garden club went very well and was enjoyed by all we had some great ideas from kids and parents.
We tidied up some of the areas to the front of the school and planted some hardy annuals as a colourful welcome under the Staveley School sign. We also planted up some pots and around a shrub. All club members were asked to bring their own gardening gloves, trowel and fork and also a bucket fro soil etc. We hope to become sustainable and beg, borrow and swap for the things that we need, so if you have anything that you do not need anymore then give it to us. We also want to be organically minded.
We have had a very busy session today and made the grounds look splendid. We have refilled some old pots that we were given with fresh compost and hardy annuals and put them all around the school. We have tidied the edges of the borders and lawned areas.
A group of club members planted nasturtium seeds and put in stakes to help protect them and for use as climbing posts.
Lots of old stones and rubble was removed and all the messy compost from the edges was blow away with a fantastic garden-tidying gadget.
We agreed that we needed a compost bin so we are going to find a suitable area.
Everyone is really enthusiastic and we all hope you enjoy the difference it will make to our school.
Photos:
Future sessions will include:
Planning : design vegetable/flower beds and school labels.
Education : Wormery, Composting, Organic pest control. Eating a healthy diet.
Products : Jams, fruit crumbles, items on school menu, Gifts – bulb pots, herbs, selling plants
