Dandelion Project
Dandelion was an ambitious, creative programme in 2022 supporting the people of Scotland to sow, grow and share together. With the aim of re-establishing Harvest as an event on the national calendar, Dandelion brought together community development, horticulture, live music, learning, sustainable thinking and innovative arts practice.
The Dandelion Schools Growing Initiative was delivered in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful. School children across Scotland led a major community growing programme – a huge nationwide experiment into how different growing methods and food culture could combine to shape a sustainable food future.
We are pleased to be able to offer resources from the Dandelion project for you to use with your class.
You can enjoy Dandelion as an in-depth project that flows throughout the whole school year or you can dip in and out of the resources and choose one or two to enjoy as stand-alone projects at any time in the academic calendar.
Dig Where You Stand
Start your Dandelion journey with Dig Where You Stand. Growing and harvesting can include digging, but here we invite you to a different kind of dig – into our cultural past! This resource booklet introduces some of the cultural heritage, traditions, folklore, custom and crafts associated with harvest and the growing year in Scotland.
The School is the Menu
What would your school look like in a dish? Celebrate your school's unique character by creating a signature dish inspired by the school and everyone in it.
Over centuries, places across Europe and beyond have evolved distinctive food cultures. ‘The School is the Menu’ activity fast-tracks this process using stories gathered from your school community to inspire a new dish that captures the unique essence of your school.
Your dish can be served as part of a school event, such as an end of academic year event or a harvest event to welcome a new cohort, and will remain an enduring legacy for the school, truly belonging to the community who inspired it.
Download the activity and watch Food Innovator Simon Preston talk through each of the steps in the three videos below.
Part 1: Suggested research activities and sample questions.
Part 2: Create ideas for dishes using your stories as inspiration
Part 3: Practicalities to consider and finalising your dish
Creative Resources
Stories and songs in Scots and Gaelic that celebrate growing and harvest. Enjoy exploring these and learning new songs commissioned by Dandelion on the Feis Rois website.
Scotland's Local Food Stories: explore the stories behind varieties of fruit and veg developed in Scotland
Dandelion Music: Songs in Gaelic and Scots with themes of growing and harvest. There are lots of songs about tatties!
Harvest Home: This resource focusses on harvest-time and is a guide to creating your own harvest event
Growing Resources
A wealth of growing resources all about seeds, genetics, local food varieties and much more including fun games to play with your class!
Dandelion invites everyone to come together at harvest time to celebrate all that they have grown and achieved throughout the project. Enjoy exploring these resources to help you plan a harvest event, make a corn dolly and more.
Have a Grow: A guide to growing a range of vegetables, edible flowers and herbs.
Mash Up: A card game all about potatoes for two players or a whole class.
Saving Seeds & Waking Seeds: An introduction to seed saving and the key principles for success.
Sow Many Seeds: An introduction to seeds and their part in history and culture
Top Plants: A card game for 2 players all about plants that can grow in your school grounds
Totally Tatties: All about growing, storing, harvesting and enjoying potatoes
GrowCube Resources
In 2022, Dandelion gifted Grow cubes to more than 100 schools across Scotland. If you have a cube, you’ll find lots of helpful resources here.
