Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden 

Bianca Tondo 

Garden Specialist

Hello Kingswood Community, 

I trust everyone had a rejuvenating break and is ready to dive back into school life. Before we embark on this term's gardening adventures, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Laskaridis and Spencer families for their care and dedication in looking after our beloved hens during the holidays. Your support is truly invaluable to us!

As we kick off the new term, our students have wasted no time in rolling up their sleeves and digging deep – quite literally! The garden beds are buzzing with activity as soil from last term's delivery is put to good use. This hands-on experience not only teaches practical gardening skills but also embodies the Habit of Mind focused on persistence. Students are learning firsthand the importance of perseverance, teamwork, and grit as they tackle the task at hand.

With the garden beds now primed and ready, we eagerly anticipate the planting of garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, and a variety of greens. These upcoming activities provide endless opportunities for students to explore, experiment, and cultivate their curiosity in the garden. 

Some reflections from the students:

Grade 4S

We liked attending to the chickens the most today. Two of us cleaned out the chicken's water containers. We liked to help rather than just standing around. We all enjoyed pushing the chickens off the garden beds so they wouldn’t eat the vegetables of broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, lettuce, and spinach. The chickens were allowed to go into the sunflower and cucumber beds, as well as empty garden beds. We had to keep persisting as the hens kept going back to the beds they were not supposed to be on. 

Grade 3H

We liked feeding the chickens and harvesting today. We sprinkled egg shells around the outside of the Broccoli and cauliflower beds so the slugs and snails will stop eating the leaves. After sharing time we tasted some of the herbs in the garden. Some of us liked the taste of the herbs like rocket and basil, some of us did not! We also tried sage, thyme and chives. 

Happy Gardening!