Berwick Fields Primary School students were overjoyed to hear that their much-loved school garden is receiving much-needed funding.
The school is receiving a $1000 grant from Woolworths and Landcare Australia via the 2023 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program to help grow more produce as part of their garden and kitchen program which was first launched in 2010 as part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.
STEM teacher Mick Holden said the school uses the garden to not only teach the students how to manage a small vegetable patch, as well as developing teamwork skills, but it also allows the students to recognise where the food on their plate comes from and gives them more appreciation for it.
“If you ask some of the preps where their food comes from, they don’t know anywhere other than ‘Woolies’,” he said.
On top of a garden club which attracts between 20 and 35 students every Wednesday recess, garden and kitchen activities are integrated into the school’s curriculum.
After a lack of activity at the garden during the Covid lockdowns, this year’s produce will be the result of an entirely new crop, including snow peas, cucumber, broccoli and bok choy.
The students will then use all of the produce, as well as eggs from chickens, in their kitchen classes.
The students enjoy making meals and snacks such as lasagne, pizza, shortbreads, garlic & herb bread and zucchini slice, all of which are vegetarian.
Mr Holden said small groups of students are able to go to the garden if they have disengaged and are allowed to help with the constant maintenance of the garden before going back to their studies.
“A lot of them have taken what they’ve learnt back home,” he said.
Grade 6 student Thinesha said working in the garden is “really fun”.
Mr Holden said the efforts of the classes and the Garden Club fed into the school’s sustainable efforts, keeping potential waste out of landfill and composting food waste from the school’s kitchen.
“It’s good getting to be involved in the whole process,” he said.
STEM teacher Michael Holden is grateful for the opportunities that the garden has given the students.
“In the end, it all helps the kids,” he said.
Woolworths state manager Sarah Gooding said they were keen to see students enjoy their upgraded or new gardens thanks to the grants.
“Bringing the classroom to the great outdoors and encouraging kids to get hands-on with nature is always something we’re excited to see, and we hope all of the schools across Berwick will have fun working on their new projects,” she said.
The ‘wetland’ area at the back of the school is currently unmanageable, but there are hopes that it will soon be converted into a garden housing indigenous products and food.
