Potato Growing Competition

'Grow Your Own Potatoes' forms part of Potato Council’s 'Love Potatoes' campaign, to encourage the British public to buy British potatoes. At a time when living costs are rising and health concerns remain high on the agenda, the message is clear; being full of nutrients, extremely versatile and superb value for money, potatoes are the perfect choice for consumers.

Suttons are supporting The Potato Council’s ‘Grow your Own Potatoes’ schools competition by donating two laptop computers as prizes. This is the second year that Suttons have supported this initiative in this way. Last year schools entered the competition to grow the heaviest potatoes and the winners , Pollyplatt Community Primary School in Lincolnshire and Sutton First School in Norwich, were both presented with laptops by Suttons Seeds.

Championed by Peter Seabrook of The Sun, the Grow Your Own Potatoes educational project has grabbed interest from teachers and pupils alike and provides supporting resources for many principles such as growing your potatoes and healthy eating. There are a wide range of fun activities such as planting and harvesting, cooking and eating your own crop !!

This year one laptop will be presented to the school that produces the largest size potato by weight and the other laptop will be provided to the school which produces the largest number of potatoes.

Laptop computers have been selected by Suttons as they offer schools the greatest flexibility in access for children, even those who do not have a computer at home.

Schools should register online by 6th February at www.potatoesforschools.org.uk for their free potato growing kit containing ‘Rocket’ and ‘Vales Emerald’ seed varieties . Kits will be received in time to start growing on 3rd March and potatoes should be harvested by 23rd June 2009. Entries for the computer competition need to be submitted via The Sun by 9th July 2009.