With the garden to plate ethos growing at a rapid pace as people consider not only their food supply chain but desire fresh produce, the home veggie patch is on the rise.
But it’s not just adults who are enjoying the backyard harvest, as schools are embracing garden projects to encourage youth to garden.
Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Foundation is a national food education model that continues to be rolled out at schools since 2001.
The role of the foundation is to provide skills, support and inspiration to schools to assist them in implementing and delivering the Kitchen Garden Program. In March, 800 schools were listed on the program nationally, with schools and communities the backbone of this success, says CEO Ange Barry.
“We look forward to continuing to expand this Victorian-grown program across Australia, forging a ground-breaking community that will change the way generations think about fresh, seasonal, delicious food,” she said at the foundation’s event to mark the milestone.
For Stephanie Alexander, her vision continues to remain making “pleasurable food education available to every student in primary school and, just maybe, to extend the vision even further. I think we are about to do this”.
“In 2001 I persuaded the then Principal of Collingwood College to let me try to show how involving students in growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing some of their own food was the best way of convincing students to become more open to new flavours, learn new skills, and to better understand the connection between fresh food, the shared table and wellbeing,” she says. “I knew from my own life (thanks Mum) the power of a positive model.”
Helping children produce a garden full of flowers and fresh seasonal produce is about teaching children how to be active and outdoors, says David Hardie from Bunnings, which reports a rise in demand for garden products. Making projects engaging will ensure longevity of engagement, he says.
“An edible garden is a budget friendly way to get kids excited about growing their own produce. Encourage kids to grow an array of herbs and vegetables which can be used to make different meals – kids will get a kick out of using ingredients,” he says. “Equip kids with the right tools to make watering and maintaining the garden fun. A garden roster (will help) kids keep track of when they need to water and prune their plants.”
Tips for a healthy garden:
- Location: Help kids find a sunny spot to grow their own garden, this could be a dedicated space in the flower bed or you could opt for a raised garden bed or colourful pot to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers.
- Choose plants: Help kids choose seeds or seedlings that are easy to grow and maintain. Plants that blossom are a good option as they will allow kids to see buds forming and fruits and vegetables growing. If unsure of the best plants to pick, ask the garden experts for tips about growing seasonal plants.
- Garden to plate: An edible garden is a budget friendly way to get kids excited about growing their own produce. Encourage kids to grow an array of herbs and vegetables which can be used to make different meals – kids will get a kick out of using ingredients they have grown themselves. An easy DIY dish to start with is a simple pizza using home-grown herbs and veggies.
- Build a worm farm: Create a worm farm to teach kids the importance of recycling and sustainable living. In two to three months the worms will eat away at food waste and produce a rich fertiliser to use in the garden.
- Stay sun smart and combat mess: Protect kids from the sun’s UV rays while they tend to their garden by investing in a shade sail or umbrella. Be prepared for mess as dirt, mud and grubby fingers are guaranteed after hours spent in the garden - make sure kids wear gloves and combat mess by keeping a broom, cloth or mop close by.
