TREE News

Junior School Little Twigs, Interning with Colton Technologies and Windermere Developments

Little Twigs

Term 2 saw the Junior School replicate a Little Twigs pilot program, the overwhelming success of the Thursday afternoon sessions has ensured a continuation of the program this term.  The success is with out a doubt attributed to the enthusiasm of the students as well as the commitment and dedication of the staff, Mrs Bernie Sharpe, Ms Tiff Holland and Ms Jo Howarth.

Junior TWIG is an extracurricular activity that happens after school on Thursday afternoons for Yr 5-6 students. In the program we learn how to cook and provide this food to members of the Orange community. We also learn about planting vegetable gardens and being more sustainable to care for our environment. 

During TWIG last term we spent time out at the school farm. The TWIG team changed into full beekeeping suits and learnt all about the honey production process. The following week, back at school, we used harvested bees wax and recycled jars to make our own candles. Another accomplishment for Junior TWIG was when we catered for the Junior School Performing Arts Concert. We made and served soup to many of the attendees on the evening. Personally, I have enjoyed the trips out to the farm, the beekeeping and look forward to making sausages later in the term. 

Hamish Searle 

TREE Internship

Isaac Birmilli

On Friday 23rd of July, I turned up at the Orange Regional Civic Theatre for my very first internship experience. Mitch, owner of CCT companies had organised that I helped him with sounds checks and recording of KWS’s ‘The Adams Family’ production. Soon after I was greeted by Mitch and was taken to the sound box where we will be monitoring the sounds. After a short while of cluelessly standing around watching Mitch fiddle with compressors and volume knobs I started to get an idea of what he was doing and eventually was able to follow along with his guidance. 

The performance proceeded smoothly with no hassles, we continued to monitor the sound levels throughout. Once the play had concluded, it was now time to carefully pack the cables into their appropriate boxes and disassemble the video and audio equipment and take them to the car, and the internship was over.

After this first experience with CCT I was both overwhelmed and excited, I had no idea how much work and equipment was required for such a task and I am keen for my next event with CCT technologies.

Windermere Developments

Market Garden

As we approach spring next month, we are busy getting all the groundwork under way for our spring and summer veggie crops at Windermere. A market garden plot has been marked out and due to have its first crops sown this week and much more started in the greenhouse by Kindergarten, Little Twig and Yr 7 PDHPE students over the remainder of Term 3.

Biodiversity                     

Our farm animals aren’t the only animals benefiting from the rain, with all dams full and plenty of grass our wildlife biodiversity has noticeably been increasing, with more and more birdlife, insects and marsupials finding residence at Windermere.

Farm animals

Our Merino ewes are due to lamb in spring and we have Angus cows due to calf this week. We have just purchased a chicken caravan for 130 hens to supply pasture raised eggs to the boarding kitchen. Rotational grazing pens for our free-range pig operation are due to start in a few months.

Other projects 

A new set of cattle yards for the cattle team to prepare show steers are being assembled and are nearly finished.

Last term Yr 11 Hospitality students followed one of our free-range pigs all the way from paddock to abattoir, butcher and then cooked with the pork in class.

Our alpaca and merino wool from the farm is booked into a small scale wool mill to be processed into yarn, wadding and fabric for future TREE projects. Textile students will have the opportunity follow the process from a raw material ‘off a sheeps back’ to creating completely traceable, environmentally friendly garments.