Garden and Environment

Dear Parents / Carers,

There is always so much to share in Garden news. The Spring season has tried its hardest to give us its usual sunshine, showers and breezes but has been overshadowed by heavy rainfall, hail, high winds and very cool temperatures. 

Our Mulberry tree must have enjoyed the conditions and it is bejewelled with ripening red and deep purple-black juicy fruit. Students have loved harvesting together, eating freshly picked and washed fruit, straight from the tree. Kitchen classes have also enjoyed the sweet fruit on their Italian based dessert creations.

Foundation students have had fun discovering ‘What Lies Beneath’ in the garden, pulling up carrots and radish of different colours and sizes, and harvesting mud covered golden treasures in the Kipfler potato patch.

Year Six students have braved the wind and hail on Monday to plant class gardens as a legacy gift for students in 2023. They have chosen to plant tomato, eggplant, sunflower, carrot and zucchini squash seedlings (and seed) and we look forward to sharing their produce with new and continuing students early next year.

Year Two and Year Four students continue to be diligent and passionate carers of our gorgeous Chickens, particularly Phoenix, our ‘pet’ hen. Every year level loves starting Garden and Environment sessions with updates on and playtime with Phoenix.

Two of our chickens have recently confirmed suspicions that they are in fact roosters! Their ornate and vibrantly coloured tail feathers, larger combs and wattles and generous sizes had not convinced all of us, but their Monday greeting of Cock-a-doodle-doo certainly has answered our questions.

Students and staff alike have had so much learning and pleasure from raising our beautiful Sussex hens together this semester. We will keep you posted on the outcome of housing our chooks. The conversations about hens and roosters have been wonderful, discussing the egg industry, why roosters are less wanted and exploring regulations and by-laws of councils for keeping pets. Thank you once again to our generous families who offered and who cared for our baby chicks on weekends and to our families who care for them each weekend. 

We are looking forward to our last weeks of Garden and Environment classes this year.

Kate Newman, Garden/Environment Teacher

Belinda Williams, Horticulturist