Agfest celebrates this year’s biggest beetroot
Jessica Serna

Jessica Serna
Posted on 02 May, 2024

Agfest celebrates this year’s heaviest beetroot

Growing the big beetroot was part of a Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture initiative to increase awareness of agricultural industries amongst school and college students.

The 558 gram beetroot was grown by students at Launceston Church Grammar School.

Jo Stackhouse teaches Agriculture and Sustainability at the school. The secret, she says, was fermented sheep manure and regular water.

The contest is run annually by the University of Tasmania’s Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA).

This year, 15 schools across Tasmania accepted the challenge of growing one of the most beloved Australian veggies: the beetroot.

TIA sent seeds out to schools in the first term, with students starting their cultivating adventure with different techniques, fertilizers and types of soil.

Bianca Deans, Education and Work Integrated Learning officer at the TIA, says the aim of this contest “is to get people outside, make them aware of the process in caring the plants and thinking about the importance of growing food”.

The TIA also wants to attract people to agriculture as a career. TIA director Michael Rose, says there are 6 graduate jobs for every graduate of Agriculture in Australia.

“We’ve got industry beating down the doors to get our final year students into their business.”

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