Newtown College’s Horticulture Students are thrilled to harvest crops they have tended throughout the year.
Whilst the academic year has come to an end, students on the Level 2 Horticulture course can see their hard work over the months is beginning to yield. With peas, beans and potatoes ready for uprooting outdoors and French beans, garlic, leeks, Swiss chard, beetroot and courgettes, ready to harvest from the polytunnels and still lots more to come.
The Level 2 course in Horticulture allows students to cover all elements which underpin the subject of Horticulture. Incorporating plant knowledge, garden design, equipment, the science of propagation and basic business knowledge all of which can lead to a career in the horticulture industry.
Students at Newtown College benefit from a largely practical lead study using the College’s own plot of land and also a range of facilities with partnering business Cultivate Cooperative of Newtown next door.
Cultivate has a diverse community garden which provides students with a great space for growing and learning. They also benefit from the expertise of Cultivate staff who have a wealth of Knowledge in gardening which they share with students, widening their experience. Cultivate also run workshops including safety and maintenance of garden tools and equipment and run many community projects such as community orchards that students get the chance to visit and learn from.
The students have not only grown vegetables but also flowers to encourage pollinators and insect life. They grow organically and use peat-free compost to be more environmentally sustainable and encourage biodiversity.
Horticulture Lecturer Michelle Leslie said: ‘It’s been wonderful to be able to get more hands-on this year with students benefiting from a range of experiences, professional guests and visits out. In the garden we will now look to harvesting and then replant more crops and flowers, so we can continue growing and harvesting into the autumn. Many of the students have enjoyed the course and are now interested in Level 3 Horticulture some are going on to work in local gardens.’
