Edible Kitchen Garden

As part of our links to the local community, the school runs an Agricultural Science program on 7 hectares of land attached to the school. Students experience a wide range of agricultural activities from animal husbandry (poultry, sheep and cattle) to olive, fruit and vegetable growing.

The Edible Kitchen Garden, with its focus on organic methods, recycling, sustainability, nutrition, Indigenous foods and community involvement is now an integral part of our curriculum and our community connections. It focuses on creating a sustainable, healthy environment with an emphasis on working together to grow, harvest and prepare produce, and to cook and share healthy meals. The EKG aims to provide more than an 'environmental curriculum linked to mandated learning outcomes.' It is about creating a learning environment that changes student, educator and community approaches to water, waste, energy, biodiversity, sustainability and individual and community health. The garden area consists of an outdoor classroom and 10 garden beds of varying sizes. A developing indigenous garden area heralds the entrance of the kitchen garden.

Tuesdays are our EKG focus days. Each R-9 class spends three consecutive Tuesday in the EKG harvesting and cooking the produce that they have grown. There are always plenty of other garden tasks like planting, weeding and watering. Parents and local 'keen gardeners' are invited to come and share their skills and mentor students in developing these life skills. This year's cooking component of the day has allowed students to prepare a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner over the three weeks.

To complement our garden teacher, we have a cooking teacher who works with the garden teacher to ensure fresh garden produce is harvested and cooked by students in the school's kitchen.

The EKG project is an R-12 interdisciplinary learning program. Students engage in learning in the Arts, Science, SOSE, Design and Technology, English, Mathematic, LOTE (Indonesian) and Health. Literacy, Numeracy and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT's) are embedded in all curriculum areas. This R-12 curriculum engages students in the concepts of sustainability and biodiversity. Outstanding community events like the EKG Garden Dinners and sales of produce from the garden help us make the EKG self sufficient in its operation.

The Edible Kitchen Garden:

• Connects students to the earth, nature and to each other.
• Offers children experiences in growing, harvesting and preparing fresh garden produce and sharing at table with others.
• Links garden learning to the whole curriculum and engages learners in literacy, numeracy and all learning areas in new and exciting ways.
• Develops awareness of the school garden ecology as part of the wider environment beyond the school fence.
• Involves families, the wider community and cultures.
• Offers alternative food choices that support optimal health.
• Provides opportunities to teach and learn life skills for 21st century living.
• Provides an environment where people can gather to connect in a meaningful way grow and share organic, chemical free produce.
• Incorporate Indigenous bush foods.