But in a small allotment site high on the hillside above Stocksbridge, a gang of 13 and 14-year-olds are proudly examining their vast and ripening crop.

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"A lot of them have learned to like it," says Steve Prince, a teaching assistant at Stocksbridge High School, who runs an allotment project for children at the school.

"Some said it tastes horrible and sour but I had one boy who came up to me and said 'That rhubarb were lovely. I had it with apple and custard. It were fantastic'."

The project, for teenagers who have been selected by Steve and colleagues, has been running for the last four years.

Some of the children taking part have behavioural problems, says Steve, and many have been selected because, as he puts it, "they don't get much out of the academic side of school".

They get quite a lot out of gardening, however. "Raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants," Steve lists. "We share them out between the kids taking part. And we produce sprouts, onions, rhubarb and potatoes for the school kitchen."

The children have even helped Steve build a small kitchen garden at the school. "The kitchen staff just go out of the door and pick what they want," says Steve proudly.

A lifelong gardener, Steve Prince was partly inspired by the gardening lessons he had as a teenager at Chaucer school.

"We used to have greenhouses there. It was common in those days to have gardening areas at school."

An attitude which is returning, he says, with the willingness of schools to offer extra-curricular activities that may have a bearing on health, fitness and future life skills.

"It's like a step back in time to how kids used to be brought up. People used to have big gardens or allotments and they grew food to support their families and I think it's important for children to think about that."

"We all like it," says 13-year-old Jahvan. "We like using our hands and we want it for our future. If you think about it, if you run out of money and if you've got seeds you can still grow potatoes and things."

"It gives you experience," says Blake, also 13. "And you learn how to plant and dig. It's hard work."

"It's like having an extra PE lesson," adds Adam, 14.

The Stocksbridge High School allotment was on show as part of Environment Weeks. Flowers grown at the allotment for the school hanging baskets have won a silver award in the Sheffield in Bloom contest and the school's work has recently been nominated for a national schools farming award.

Run by organic principles, the allotment does well with soft fruit but cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower have been less successful due to slug attacks.

Steve recommends the idea of taking over a local allotment to other schools. Children pick up on healthy eating messages and learn to try different fruit and vegetables (rhubarb, for example).

For him, working on the allotment also gives him the chance to chat to children who may be having difficulties at school.

"And it gives them an idea of what physical work is.

"Some of the kids are already asking how much an allotment costs and how old they have to be to get one of their own. Some of them will go on from this to be gardeners for the rest of their lives."

Several of the Stocksbridge allotmenteers are thinking about careers in horticulture. And as imported food prices rise, keeping a productive allotment or garden is expected to become more and more popular.

The highest ever rise in the price of food was recorded earlier this year and with close to 95% of UK fresh fruit imported, the time to grow your own seasonal desserts is arriving, particularly since a quarter of the cost of living for low income families is on food shopping.

"I like the raspberries because they're nice and juicy," says Jahvan.

"And it's good for you to have healthy food. It's better than going to McDonalds."