A pilot project which aims to boost the amount of Welsh-grown organic vegetables in school lunches, while supporting local farmers, has now expanded.
Numerous primary schools in Ceredigion are now serving organic vegetables to schoolchildren as part of the Welsh Veg in Schools project.
The county is the latest local authority in Wales to join the project, which is co-ordinated by Food Sense Wales.
The overall aim of it is to get more organically produced Welsh-grown veg into primary school meals across the country.
It’s currently operating across six local authority areas, with Ceredigion becoming the seventh to take part.
Welsh Veg in Schools is a partnership that includes Food Sense Wales, Castell Howell, Farming Connect Horticulture as well as farmers and growers.
One of the schools that will be receiving the veg is Ysgol y Dderi, in Llangybi, which now receives food from farmer Patrick Holden of Bwlchwernen Farm, near Lampeter.
Children from years 3 and 4 visited the farm in September, where they learnt about the project and how carrots were being supplied to schools across South and West Wales.
At the time, Ceredigion wasn’t a part of the scheme, so the children at Ysgol y Dderi took it upon themselves to canvass for Bwlchwernen carrots to be included in their school lunches.
What followed was a live school project aimed at getting local veg into the kitchen at their school.
Mr Holden, from Bwlchwernen Farm, said: “Growing organic carrots for Welsh schools after a gap of 18 years since we last grew them for supermarkets has been an inspiring experience.
"Knowing that they will be in children’s meals in local schools, including Ysgol y Dderi, the primary school which my children attended is one of the most exciting developments of our recent farming history.”
Dr Amber Wheeler, the project lead for Welsh Veg in Schools, said it was inspiring to know that the decision to take part was influenced by the children.
"At the moment most of the veg that comes into Welsh schools is from outside the country and is often frozen," he explained.
"This pilot project is showing that it is possible to increase the amount of produce grown in Wales, and support growers and farmers in doing so, by using the market of Local Authority Free School Meal provision.”
Growers who are interested in taking part in the project can contact Food Sense Wales by emailing foodsensewales@wales.nhs.uk
