The School Garden Page

PIPS

November is the final month in the 2024 year ¾ PIPS program.

Students will explore the final two principles of “Using edges and valuing the marginal” and “Creatively use and respond to change.”

• Foodies needed to adapt their planned menu this term, following the theft of the beetroot bed. Permaculture builds resilience by diversifying: the Edible Space produces a large range of fruits, vegetables and herbs, so students have created other wonderful things from fresh food available from the garden. Well done team! 
• Green thumbs will continue maintaining the Edible Space, there will be a lot of food planted this month: beans, corn, melons, pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, cucuzza, tromboncini, basil, lettuce, beetroot and more.                   
• Recyclers will actively manage our “waste” stream. All spent crops are shared between chickens, worms and compost, this “waste” is managed on site, supporting our closed loop system.

Change of seasons

From now to the end of the year, is Buath Garru (grass flowering) season in the Wadawurrung calendar, where we notice air temperatures are rising:

• The pobblebonk frog is calling loudly

• Several Southern Brown tree frogs have taken up residence in the greenhouse
• “Larry” the resident blue tongue lizard has emerged from the winter slumber
• Bulbine lilies are flowering
• Local poa grasses are flowering
• Birds are feeding their young

Garden irrigation

Barwon Heads Primary school were successful in applying for a grant from Barwon Water to install irrigation to the green house, the chicken orchard and Edible Space. 

Georgie Allen, Sustainable Water Adviser from Barwon Water will be visiting school later this month, to see the watering system, garden and students in action during the Year ¾ PIPS lessons. 

Thank you, Margaret Griffith, for writing the successful grant application.

What a legend!

After hearing about the school garden being vandalised, Eleanor was inspired to raise money for the garden. She has been selling lemons from the tree at home for 50 cents per lemon.  She has managed to raise $129.40 for the garden. 

Thank you very much for your hard work, kindness and generosity. Well done Eleanor!!

The Seedling Stall

The Seedling Stall is full of students sown seedlings: 25 different varieties of tomatoes, herbs, beans, cucumber, pumpkin, melons, lettuce and more. All these things are ready to be planted into garden beds now.  All $2 each.

The Honesty Box earned over $500 over the long weekend!

All proceeds from the seedling stall are directed back into the BHPS garden. 

Garden maintenance and Tuesday after school gardening

The second Saturday of each month at 2pm is allocated to garden maintenance, usually only a 2 hour commitment, or whatever time you can spare to help out. It’s very rewarding and lots of fun to work alongside families, students, teachers and volunteers to keep the school garden at its best. The next date is this Saturday November 9th at 2pm. 

Jobs this month will include: netting the fruit trees,

Tuesday after school gardening has now finished for 2024