Palánta Biogarden in Maglód welcomes children for educational activities

At Nhood, we aim to create long-term value by combining economic, social and environmental positives. That's why last year we launched the Palánta Biogarden, an organic vegetable farm at the Maglód Auchan Commercial Center, where we grow approximately 40 tons of organic vegetables every year. This year, the organic garden also became a venue for educational activities.
 
At Nhood, we believe that companies have an enormous role to play in creating a more sustainable future. That's why, in addition to the economic benefits, we strive to develop the real estate portfolio entrusted to us with environmental impact and social responsibility in mind.
 
Along this line of thinking, we launched the Palánta Biogarden at the Maglód Auchan Commercial Center last year. In the 1.3-hectare organic farm, we grow about 40 tons of vegetables a year. Cultivation is carried out using regenerative farming methods, in a combination of greenhouse and open field production. Vegetables include lettuce, arugula, carrots, beetroot, butter radishes, tomatoes and other veggies. The produce is distributed to customers under an agreement with Auchan Hungary and is also sold to a number of restaurants that aim to serve high-quality ingredients to their guests.
 
We also would like to set an example for future generations with the organic farming, taking advantage of the opportunity to combine valuable activity in the garden with environmental education. Therefore, we decided to build an educational garden next to the organic farm.
 
Our aim was to host school groups, so that the youngsters could learn the basics of gardening through a hands-on experience with an educational program designed specifically for the site.

The age-appropriate curriculum was compiled by two highly experienced teachers, Katalin Csörsz and Katalin Néder, whom we asked for the task together with our partner, Organisk.  Our company, Nhood, provided the graphic design and the teaching materials.

The management of the Péter Vermesy Primary and Elementary Art School in Maglód was happy to integrate the completed program into the annual curriculum. The first on-site sessions started in May. Elementary school children had the opportunity to learn about vegetables, composting and planting methods, garden tools and the garden's inhabitants in the context of regular garden visits.

The education program continued in the autumn, with a total of 160 pupils from seven classes discovering the wonders of the garden throughout the year. All the sessions were a success, providing the children with lots of new knowledge and practical experiences. 

As part of the program, the creators of the pedagogical plan, Katalin Csörsz and Katalin Néder, passed on their knowledge to the local school teachers, who will in future be able to organize visits to the educational garden and give on-site lessons to the pupils themselves.

We can say that with the implementation of the Palánta Bio and Educational Garden, we created a long-term asset that reflects the triple positive impact of Nhood’s vision: the unity of economic, social and environmental benefits. 

Commenting on the project, Dóra Szemerédi Diána, CSR Manager, said: "We would like to thank the partners - Organisk, Auchan and the teachers - for their exemplary attitude, which has contributed to the creation of this valuable and exemplary project. We are delighted and proud that, in addition to organic vegetable production, we have been able to implement such an interesting and unique program for local children, which is a playful learning experience that enriches their knowledge and can be integrated into the annual curriculum. We will keep the sessions running and plan to extend the program to older age groups as well."