Who has the greenest fingers?

Monday 19 May 2014

Thousands of primary schoolchildren are waiting to find out which school has grown the best Jersey Royals.

Judges have now started weighing and counting the spuds, which the children have been nurturing in buckets since February - whilst learning more about where food comes from.

The competition is fierce this year with even more green-fingered children taking part, and last year’s winners Grouville School will be keen to retain the title.

Head teacher Pam Pitman said:  “We see the Genuine Jersey Royal Potato Growing Competition as a great opportunity to take part in a competition that it is a fantastic community event and lots of fun. 

“The children plant their potatoes and then care for them on a daily basis.  Knowing that they have looked after them as best they can, is very important to the children; that is why there is lots of excitement on the judging morning when the children find out if their daily care has been successful in enabling them to get the ‘best crop”.

But the primary schools are not the only ones nervously awaiting the weigh-in. For the past three months the Constables have been cultivating and members of the  media have been managing their micro crops.

All the winners will be announced at the Constables and media grand weigh-in at St Mary’s Parish Hall on Friday morning at 10.30 am.

The event is open to the public and is part of Jersey Tourism’s Jersey Food Festival which runs until 26 May.

Genuine Jersey’s Chief Executive John Garton said: “May is the first month of the year when fresh local produce is available in abundance so what better time to celebrate the iconic Jersey Royal with the culmination of the competition, and as part of the Jersey Food Festival which celebrates the not just Jersey Royals but the Island’s dairy products and seafood for which the Island is renowned worldwide.”

The full festival programme can be found at www.jersey.com/foodfestival