Kitchen and Garden & Sustainability News

Whats Happening in the Kitchen and Garden for 2026?

Garden

As the term comes to the end, so does the garden program for our year 6 students. I am so proud of how skilled they have become in the garden. They have found a real connection to the earth and protecting the environment. From composting to propagation, to designing a garden to botanical drawing, the year 6'ers have given 100% to all things gardening. I have had the best time with the year 6 team and I will miss their energy and hilarious shenanigans. 

In the last few weeks our year 4 teams have been busy tending to the chickens. As our star chicken monitors, their role is to care for the day to day requirements of our chickens. Each day they feed and water them, check for eggs, regularly check on them during the day and then ensure they are locked up at the end of the day. The chickens are very safe and well loved under their care.

With all the rain last week, Year 4 designed their dream garden. This was an opportunity to be creative and also use some of the knowledge they have gained over the last 2 years.  

They have made some more cuttings this week for our fair with a focus on australian natives.

KITCHEN

This fortnight also marks the end of the Year 6s time in the kitchen.  As a celebration of their 4 years of learning and developing skills in the kitchen, Year 6 students have the exciting opportunity to participate in our annual MasterChef Competition.

Students work in their teams to select a recipe and adapt it with an Australian Indigenous theme. The competition relies on the knowledge, skills, creativity and teamwork students have developed over the last four years through the Surfside Primary School Kitchen Garden Program.

 Recipes chosen this year incorporated the following Indigenous ingredients:

• Pepperberry
• Saltbush
• Lemon myrtle
• Warrigal greens

We are currently half-way through the competition and this year's participants have raised the bar high!   So far our expert judges have enjoyed pumpkin soup with damper, hand-made pasta and gnocchi,  warrigal greens and ricotta rolls with homemade sauce and spring onion pancakes. 

This fortnight our Grade 4s are joining in the fun with a 3-course dinner party inspired menu of Pumpkin soup with bread, fresh pasta with carrot and tomato sauce and Spiced apple muffins for dessert.  The teams worked together to complete these dishes in style and the menu was a hit with the students.  The teachers lounge was also happy to receive some leftover soup for lunch and gave it glowing reviews!

Recipes

SNACK SHACK

Our Snack Shackers made yummy musk slice and last week we celebrated with orange cupcakes and slice. The students are getting more confident in the canteen and serving their customers. They are starting to learn money handling skills and doing a brilliant job with food handling  skills. If anyone is interested in helping out with this program, we meet on a Tuesday session 5 (2.15-3.15). Please contact Clancey to see how you can get involved! 

Food Scrap Friday

Our Food Scrap Friday team are looking for new team members! If you have ever wondered how we make our fabulous compost for the garden and how our school is very clever at keeping tonnes of food scraps out of landfill, then the Food Scrap Friday team is for you! Come along this Friday before school as find out how you can get involved.

Recycling at Surfside - SHREDDED PAPER!

We need your shredded paper for our compost bins. If you have access to shredded paper at home or work, we would like you to donate it. You can leave it at the office or drop off to the garden Tues, Wed and Thursdays

VOLUNTEERS

If you have a spare hour or 2 per week and would like to volunteer in the best program on the Bellarine, please reach out and we will send you some info on how to get involved. Please make sure you check into the office to complete your volunteer induction (everyone must complete this each year - even if you have volunteered in the past) and have a valid Working With Children Check.

Thanks

Clancey and Georgie