The program at this school started in term 2 2008.  Years 4,5,6 and 7 are involved.  This program runs once a week for 12 months.

I was first approached by a parent 8 months ago who then sought further support within the school community for the project.  The Principal, being a part time farmer loved the idea and has been a real asset to the program.  I held a meeting with the teachers and decisions were made about who would be involved with the edible school gardens program.  This school has a very supportive and helpful groundsman as well.

The students learned about permaculture and came up with some great design ideas which we then took outside to the site.  Actually laying the design out on the ground using ropes, garden hoses and bricks really gives the students an idea of what the design will look like and if it will fit and be practical.  The older students are especially good at this and have a better understanding of design and space.

Donations of second hand materials started arriving at the school and quite a few ute loads of old macadamia mulch from the principal's farm arrived.  Getting ready for set up day is extremely busy as all donations and products must be on site before our set up (garden make over) day.
 
Set up day was strongly supported by the wonderful members of Permaculture Noosa who come to help with each of these set up days.  The surrounds of the garden are old railway sleepers which will be built up to 2 high to stop hares getting in and a fence of bamboo and wire will be erected to discourage other wildlife from visiting.  At the moment it is not an issue as we have had so much rain that there is enough food in the surrounding bushland to keep the animals happy and they don't need to come into the school for food.

The students have been tasting the salads greens throughout the garden each week and enjoying picking all the mushrooms that have grown out of the mushroom compost which we placed in the garden as one of our layers of the no dig garden.  Some of the teachers have cooked up the mushrooms for the students to eat.

A lunchtime gardening club has started with one of the teachers for the younger students which is very encouraging.

Term 3 will see cooking in the garden with chefs from Slow Food Noosa (sponsor). They will come and cook up mouth watering meals with and for the students.  The whole food experience - growing, cooking and enjoying it is an important aspect of the program.