On Wednesday, students in year 3 harvested potatoes within the school grounds. Children from the Lion class and the Tsubaki class made their way to an area located to the side of the school. They then gathered around some planting boxes.

After listening to some details about how the potatoes grow, all the students could have a go at pulling up the potatoes. They grasped the stems of the plants, and gave them a strong tug to bring the potatoes up to the surface.

Every time the roots were pulled up, the children were excited to see how many potatoes would be revealed. Would there be many, or just a few? Would they be large, or would they be small?

After knocking off the excess soil, the potatoes were placed into trays. By the end, we had filled two trays.

Some students pulled up potatoes that were about 12 cm long, whilst others found tiny ones of only about 1 cm.

Even getting such small ones was still fun. I heard some Lion students say: “They are baby potatoes!”

The children learnt that the potato plants had grown from old potatoes that start to sprout. Each old potato had been cut and then formed three or four shoots.

Growing the potato plants up until today had taken about three months!

The potatoes, along with carrots that are also growing, will be stored and then used to made curry at the school’s summer event.

I am sure that the Ishida potatoes will be truly delicious!!!

 

– Mark –

 

（水曜日、年長組の子どもたちはジャガイモを掘りました。園舎の横にある花壇へ行き、その周りに集まりました。

運転手さんからジャガイモの育ち方について話を聴き、交代でジャガイモ掘りをしました。ジャガイモの茎を持ち、土の表面に現れるまで強く引っ張りました。

根っこが出てきて、子どもたちはいくつジャガイモがついているかワクワクしていました。多いのかな、少ないのかな？大きいのかな、小さいのかな？ジャガイモに付いていた土を払い、トレーに入れました。２ケース分いっぱいに採れましたよ！

12cmほどの長さのものもあれば、1cmほどの小さなものもありました。小さいジャガイモであっても、楽しく掘る姿が見られました。小さいジャガイモを見て「ジャガイモの赤ちゃんだ！」というLion組の子どももいましたよ。

子どもたちは、芽の出た種芋を植えると新たなジャガイモが育つことを知りました。種芋は芽が3つか4つずつになるよう、切られていました。今日掘ったジャガイモは植えてから約3か月経っていたそうです！

幼稚園では、ジャガイモだけでなく、ニンジンも育てています。これらは夏の夕涼み会でカレーの材料として使います。

今日掘った石田幼稚園のジャガイモは、本当においしいと思いますよ！！！

Mark先生より ）