Hopwood Hall College goes organic

The gardens at Hopwood Hall College’s Middleton campus

Inspired by Horticulture Lecturer and Guardian writer, Andrew Oldham, Hopwood Hall College is becoming organic.

With global problems such as soil erosion and the use of chemicals becoming key issues in the horticultural world, the industry is changing. Keen to be at the forefront of these changes, Hopwood Hall College decided to go organic, giving its horticulture students the opportunity to learn about the newest techniques to do this.

Already, the decision has seen the College’s horticulture department put in place some unusual ideas, including utilising the College’s pigs.  The pigs are helping to clear and prepare the ground, which has the added bonus that they bring their own manure with them, minimising carbon loss in the process.

Students and staff have eagerly got involved. Aquaponics student, Andrew McConville, has set up a small scale growing concept which could see urban spaces grow produce without the use of soil.
Andrew said: “This is an exciting time to be in gardening. We are embracing environmental science and climate change concerns to bring something new to gardening. Innovation is going from the classroom into the vegetable patch and the wider world.”

The use of pigs, the idea of student Paul McCrystal, will help the College create its first vegetable box scheme.

Other students such as Barbara Burke are taking the College’s organic ideas into the local community, promoting produce growing in derelict spaces.