The National Trust has launched a new campaign aimed to inspire children to plant, nurture, grow, harvest and eat their own local and seasonal food.
Food Glorious Food, which follows hard on the heels of the National Trust’s announcement that it will create 1,000 new allotments to be cultivated on its land, is designed to create a new generation of growers.
The trust will give away more than 170 million free seeds, which is equal to up to 4m pumpkins, 26m bags of rocket leaves and 70m lettuces, and share advice with children through a programme of special events that will start during the May half term.
The seeds that will be given away are easy-grow pumpkins for those with a garden and salad rocket or baby lettuce for those with less space and which challenge the myth that you need a large garden to grow your own.
A new interactive website, www.foodgloriousfood.org.uk, has been developed to support potential growers and will feature factual information and advice for parent,s including a guide to growing the seeds and child-friendly recipes.
Fiona Reynolds, director general of the National Trust, said: “Growing our own food is, and will increasingly become, an essential skill. Through this campaign we want to reach and inspire a new generation of young people to connect with the land and grow food. The experience of growing food from seed is enthralling. So the focus of Food Glorious Food is on action and involvement, encouraging children to learn and enjoy by doing.
“Many people don’t realise that vegetables can be grown in small spaces, such as a window box or small pots. Old car tyres are great for growing potatoes and buckets are perfect for all kinds of root vegetables.”
The free seeds are part of a wide range of exciting local food events happening at National Trust properties between May half term and the end of October 2009.
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