[Zak the Rabbit]

Thats a good idea Annie, the students should set up a blog or a webpage detailing their work. It would be nice to hear from some of them on here.

Glad your back Dave, but dont worry about getting started, just get a bunch of students together and crack on with it. As soon as the first turves are up and the soil starts showing, the ideas will flow.

For my suggestion, divide the plot into four and set up a four course rotation, roots, brassicas and taties, for example, with the fourth area fallow (put a green manure in). This will also make it easier to assign student tasks to different areas of the plot.

Do some good forward planning though and have the plot layed out and marked with string etc before you start. Otherwise, the kids could get a bit carried away and you might have all sorts of odd sized areas.


Does the school have a weather station? A rain gauge and thermometers would be usefull in learning how the weather affects the growing. I use weather satellite also, im a member of the remote imaging group.



Get some pictures up of the plot. If we can see how your doing we can help even more


Martin

[James]

Annie I'm an accountant.  I'm not sure how I can expand on 'why did I join this forum?':

Forums are an invaluable way to obtain answers and to indulge in discussion.  

If people are confused having read several various sources, then asking a forum is unlikely to clarify things, producing instead another pile of differing responses!

[ytyynycefn]

It is quite handy being able to question people and find out WHY they've chosen to do something in a particular way... or what conditions they've got that make going against the book advice the best option.

Mel

[Ali]

I read loads of books but they all say different things and some are better than others. All of them assume some background knowledge and that you're not a complete idiot. They often don't give enough detail. The forum's been really useful for asking those questions that the books assume you know, and that you don't, and getting second opinions from real people. And you can go back and ask for clarification if you still don't understand!!

[Jake]

Just to expand on what Ali said:

eg
John Seymour will say his raised beds are the real thing, Monty Don will say his are the real thing, yet one type is tall and the other short.

Simple fact is that John Seymours are best but that aside, its easier to come to some kind of individual conclusion after having a discussion with like minded people.

I'd be interested to know James, what you think the purpose of an internet forum is?

I think its different for different people, for me the main reason is entertainment. I've met some people on the net that think this is somehow immoral. Go figure :?

[trapper]

I have just about finished a school conservation project aimed at allowing the kids to take ownership, quite a big area within the school grounds, the kisds love it to bits ,and I am kinda chuffed, a lotty is my next suggestion , but there is so much red tape involved , I am going off the boil. Insure this, trip hazards , water hazards,don't like  ceeepy crawly hazards, might get bitten hazards, jeez where does it stop . If anyone out there can point me in the direction of a school lotty plot that works , pleeeeeeze let me know. The heart is willing but the hope is dying!.
Whats wrong with just growing up and appreciating whats about ,. I hate the waxxxxers that sit on there arses that destroy simple visions. AGITATED .
Regards Trapper