Ag Studies

Today Ag Studies students made their first batch of passata for the season.

Using Roma tomatoes planted by last year’s Ag students, we harvested a modest amount of fruit (4.3kg). The tomatoes were then processed in our hand-cranked passata machine to produce our first four bottles. As our tomatoes are still largely unripe, today’s activity was aimed at familiarising students with the process and allowing them to learn the method. As our crops ripen, this activity will become much more intense! All of the passata produced will be used on-site in the Canteen and the Food Technology room.

Also destined for Food Tech will be our up-coming potato harvest. We have planted red and white varieties. Next week they will be harvested and sorted, then sent to Food Tech where they should keep well in a dark corner of the pantry.  Also due for harvest in the coming weeks will be our watermelon, cantaloupe and egg plant.

Ag Studies students will also be taking a more proactive role in the management of our compostable food scraps at the College. Shortly, students will be creating a number of tumbling compost bins. These should help break down our compostable food scraps much quicker than our current worm-based static bins. These tend to get a bit overwhelmed at times so the tumbling bins should take a lot of pressure off these and turn our scraps into valuable compost much more efficiently. 

Andrew Allen 

Food and Fibre Teacher