New contestants aiming to be top of the crops

Tuesday 13 January 2015

It will be germination across the generations as children, mums and grandmothers will all be competing in this year’s hotly-contested royal challenge.

The local WI are joining primary school pupils, the Constables and Island media for the first time and will be nurturing Jersey’s famous spuds in a bucket as part of their centenary celebrations.

The Jersey WI Chairman Maureen Bougeard said: “The WI has a reputation for being at the heart of local and community events and for cooking with local and seasonal produce so taking part in the competition is a brilliant way to celebrate our special anniversary and the world-famous Jersey Royal.”

The Genuine Jersey Potato Growing Competition challenge is to grow the heaviest crop and the highest yield while school children learn about the benefits of fresh local produce.

Each green-fingered competitor gets a kit including two Jersey Royal seed potatoes, polystyrene chips, compost and fertiliser and a bucket to start growing them in next month.

All 32 primary schools took part last year with Bel Royal growing the heaviest, JCG producing the most tubers and St Lawrence the best course work.

St Clement Constable Len Norman grew the heaviest crop with his St Saviour counterpart Sadie Rennard growing the most tubers.

ITV Channel's had the heaviest media crop while Connect magazine cultivated the most tubers.

All the competitors will be judged on their micro-crops at a big weigh-in at the end of May, as part of the Jersey Food Festival.

The annual event, now in its ninth year, is organised by the Genuine Jersey Products Association and supported by Belles Fleurs Nursery, the States of Jersey Public Health Department and The Jersey Royal Company.