St. Peter’s School and Bel Royal Nursery smash spud growing competition

Friday 04 May 2018

Pupils of St. Peter’s School are holding their heads high today after scooping three awards in the Genuine Jersey's Jersey Royal Growing Competition.

After months of careful nurturing and threats from turbulent weather from a colder than usual start to the planting season, the time had arrived to find out who would claim the titles for the best Jersey Royal growers.

Pupils from St. Peter’s School won three of the school categories. Their Year 6 class grew the most potatoes with 52 emerging from the soil, and had the heaviest average bucket weight with 406.91 grams, with the largest numbers of royal per bucket. 

But Bel Royal Nursery were the class that came in with the heaviest entry, weighing in at an almighty 1.0629kg, with Springfield Reception class coming in second place with 829g.

The competition, which is in its 12^th year, helped schoolchildren learn the benefits of a healthy balanced diet, but also the disappointment Jersey Royal growers have when they have a difficult season, as some school entrants' hopes were dashed when all their hard work had not produced a single spud. 

Pictured: The Genuine Jersey competition teaches children how to grow Jersey Royal but also the importance of a healthy balanced diet. 

In the Women’s Institute category, Joan Thebault of St. John’s WI took this year’s prize for highest number of tubers with 38 Jersey royals, with the weightiest crop going to Gloria Jenkins of St. Helier Sirens with 522g.  

Juliette Gallichan of St. Mary was crowned the winner in the Constable with 42 potatoes. But they weren’t heavy enough to beat St. Ouen’s outgoing Constable Michael Paddock whose crop weighed in at a staggering 1.2096kg.

Pictured: Express' Connect Magazine won the media competition producing both the most Jersey Royals and the heaviest batch. (Mark Ferns)

In the media competition, Express is pleased to announce that Connect Magazine topped the lot, beating the eight other print and broadcast entrants in both numbers and weight, producing 33 royals weighing in at 552.5g. 

John Garton, Chief Executive Officer of Genuine Jersey said: “As well as getting the community to embrace our famous Jersey Royal, the event demonstrates the importance of farming and its place in the Island. It has been a difficult year for potato farmers, which is shown through the results of the competition. This is even more reason why Islanders should always look to buy local and support our growers whenever possible.”