Bucket loads of fun for the spudding potato growers hoping to outweigh the competition

Genuine Jersey were hosts to the annual Jersey Royal Potato Growing weigh-in on Thursday 18 May.

The competition aims to teach children about the importance of growing local, fresh produce and to educate them about Jersey’s heritage.

This year, 327 growing kits consisting of two Jersey Royal seed potatoes, fertilizer and soil were delivered to local primary schools.

Though the kits may have been identical, the final result proved to be a mixed bag.

It wasn’t just primary schools fighting for glory, the media, the Women’s Institute (WI), Constables and Occupation IVPs from each parish have also been nurturing their spuds for the last 12 weeks.

The weigh-in for the media and Parish Constable’s entries took place at St Lawrence’s Parish Hall, where the winners in each school category were also presented with their certificates.

In the Constable’s competition, St Lawrence reigned victorious for another year on the trot - their secret? Moving them around the garden to follow the sun.

  • Some of this year's growers share their top tips on

John Garton, Chief Executive Officer of Genuine Jersey, says: “It’s hard to believe that we’ve come to the end of another Genuine Jersey, Jersey Royal potato growing competition, the last 12 weeks have flown by.

“We’ve had a busy week gathering the results from our competitors throughout the island and the final weigh in is always a fantastic opportunity to bring everyone together to see how both the media and Constables have fared as we dig their buckets in front of our other winners.

“Once again though the Jersey Royal really is the winner!”

In the school’s competition, which involved all of the island’s primary schools, St Michael’s School Class 2B had the heaviest return of potatoes (1.532kg).

This makes them joint winners for the most potatoes grown with Grouville School Class 4K.

After being crowned winners for the last two years, ITV’s bucket sadly yielded zero potatoes, but in a triumphant comeback, the double victory went to Gallery Magazine with a winning weight of 137.9g and 16 tubers.

ITV had high hopes to make it a hat trick for Channel at this year's competition. Credit: ITV Channel

This year’s competition saw the return of the Occupation VIP category with 105 entrants representing all of the parishes.

The winner of the Occupation VIP category was Mr Alan Romerill Roffrey from St Mary with 1,470g.

There were three joint winners for the most potatoes: Mrs Daphne Tingley, Eileen Palmer of St Lawrence and Mr Vincent of St Saviour.

The WI saw Phyliss Gouédart crowned for a second year in a row for the heaviest crop but was pipped at the post of double win by Rose of St Martin’s WI Group who grew 30 tubers.

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