Tamanna, Ayman and Halla Tend an Allotment

Ideas to Try

Safety

Before you start, think about how to use the different equipment safely. Will you need to wear safety gear? Check with your teacher if you are not sure.
There are special safety rules for cooking. You must have an adult with you if you are cutting vegetables or using the cooker. Wash your hands and make sure things are kept clean. Germs in the kitchen can cause bad stomach upsets.

1. Make Vegetable Soup
You will need: sharp kitchen knife; chopping board; tin opener; measuring jug; large saucepan; long-handled spoon for stirring; kitchen stove.

Ingredients: vegetable oil; onion; potato; carrot; parsnip; turnip; small tin of tomatoes; water; salt and pepper.

1. Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. If this makes your eyes water, put the onion into cold water for a minute, then carry on.
2. Wash, peel and chop all the other vegetables.
3. Heat a little oil in a saucepan. The oil should just cover the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat low. The oil should not be bubbling and hissing loudly.
4. Add the chopped onion, stirring it with the spoon so that it does not stick.
5. When the onion has started to turn a golden colour, add the other chopped vegetables. Keep stirring.
6. When the vegetables have started to get soft, add the tomatoes.
7. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well.
8. Add a litre of cold water. Turn up the heat. Let the mixture come to the boil, then turn down the heat again.
9. Leave your soup to simmer (that means bubble gently) on a low heat for at least an hour. Stir it now and then to make sure it has not stuck to the bottom of the pan. You may have to add some more water.
10. When the soup is ready, you and your friends or family can enjoy it!

2. Make a Scarecrow
Scarecrows are used to keep hungry birds away from seeds that have been planted.

You will need: an old shirt; string; plastic carrier bag; two strong garden canes; glue; scraps of material and other old clothes; newspapers; scissors; needle and thread.

1. Tie two canes together in the shape of a cross.
2. Stuff the carrier bag with balls of newspaper to make the head of the scarecrow. Tie the bag tightly to the top of the cross.
3. Put the two arms of the cross through the arms of the old shirt. Tie the shirt cuffs tightly to the cane.
4. Stuff the arms of the shirt with newspaper.
5. Tie the bottom of the shirt to the cane. Stuff the shirt with newspaper and button it up.
6. Use glue and scraps of material to give your scarecrow a face, hair and other details.
7. Push the bottom of the cane into the ground so that your scarecrow stands up.

3. Make Leaf Prints
You will need: a few sticks of charcoal; two empty drink cans; Vaseline; newspaper; plain paper; selection of leaves.

1. Put the sticks of charcoal into a folded sheet of newspaper. Thump the newspaper with your fist to crush the charcoal to powder.
2. Place one leaf, with its ribs facing upwards, on another sheet of newspaper.
3. Rub one of the drink cans all over with Vaseline.
4. Roll the sticky can in the charcoal until it is covered in black powder.
5. Roll the can gently over the leaf.
6. Lay a sheet of plain paper over the leaf.
7. Roll the second (clean) drink can over the plain paper.
8. When you peel the plain paper back, the pattern of the leaf should be printed on it.

4. Make a Seed Picture
You will need: seeds (such as lentils, dried peas, barley, dried beans, rice, oats, sunflower seeds, fruit pips and stones); PVA glue and spreader; sheet of thin card.

1. Sketch a rough outline for your design onto the sheet of card. It's a good idea to go for flower or leaf patterns.
2. Plan which seeds to use in each part of the pattern.
3. Spread glue on one small part of the pattern. Cover the glue with seeds and gently press them into place. Move on to the next part.
4. When the pattern is finished, give the whole design a topcoat of glue. This will help keep the seeds in place.
5. When the glue is dry, hang up your picture.

5. Make a Herb Pot
You can grow some plants even if you don't have a garden or allotment.

You will need: a large plastic container, such as an old ice-cream tub; smaller pots such as yoghurt pots; planting compost; gravel or small stones; scissors; drawing pin; sheet of card; pencil.

You can get seeds for many herbs at the supermarket or garden centre, eg mustard, cress, thyme, mint, coriander, pot marigold and parsley are good ones to try.

1. Use a drawing pin to make small holes in the bottom of the yoghurt pots.
2. Put a layer of gravel or small stones into each pot.
3. Fill each pot with planting compost.
4. Put all the pots into the large container.
5. Sprinkle a pinch of seed into each pot. Cover the seed with a thin layer of compost.
6. Make a card label for each pot. Use pictures or information from the seed packets to add to your labels.
7. Water the pots and place the container on a sunny windowsill.
8. Check the pots every day. Water them if the soil is dry.
9. Many herbs are used in cooking. See if you can find some recipes that use the herbs you have planted.