Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
Our Program in 2020
Our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program is entering
a new phase this year as all students across the school get to access the program.
The program introduces children to the concept of 'fork to plate’ which consists of the children learning the process of raising seedlings, planting and harvesting a variety of herbs, fruits and vegetables. The children then produce a variety of foods in their cooking sessions. These sessions are based on the principal of using fresh ingredients and introducing the children to a variety of tastes and foods they may not have experienced.
***Please note that children still need to bring their lunch on cooking days as our classes offer children a taste and does not replace their lunch.
As part of the program we require volunteers in both kitchen and garden to allow the program to run to it's full potential which also maximises the children’s learning and discovery. If you can spare an hour here and there and hold a current Working With Children’s Check see Mr Irwin or Mrs O’Mealley to register your interest.
You don’t need to have a ‘Green Thumb” or be “A Culinary Chef” to help out.
Students in grades Prep - 2 cook on Fridays
As part of the children’s Inquiry Discovery“Healthy Me”, we will be looking at different types of healthy alternatives for our school lunchboxes. The classes will commence with the basic skills of cutting, grating and slicing along with hygiene and safety.
Term 1, Mrs Wells class
Term 2 , Miss Kearney’s Class
Cooking classes are held on Fridays from 12:30-1:30p.m.
Preps will commence in Terms 3 and 4
Students in grades 3-6 cook on Wednesdays.
Term 1 and 3 grades 5/6 will be cooking.
Term 2 and 4 grades 3/4 will be cooking.
Cooking classes are held on Wednesdays from 10:a.m.–11:00 a.m. and
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. The sessions rotate on a 3 week basis cooking, science and gardening.
At the completion of each class the children come together for a communal tasting and to share their experiences with fellow class members.
We look forward to this exciting new phase of our program.
Mrs O’Mealley and Mrs Mitilineos
Kitchen and Garden Specialists
Garden Report
Firstly, a huge thank you to the people who volunteered some time over the holidays to keep our garden watered. As a result, everything still looks great and we have already had a few cucumbers and some asparagus spears to harvest. Thank you also to the Mercer family who looked after our chickens. They've had a lovely time in their orchard.
One of the plum trees was harvested and the fruit frozen, during the break and Mrs O has now turned them into plum jam and plum sauce.
There were also loads of apricots which were stewed and frozen, ready for use later in the year.
So far this term there has been dead heading, removing plants that died and general tidying up, followed by planting out of seedlings, including beans, lettuce, eggplant, zucchini and cauliflower.
One zucchini planted last year grew so large over the holidays, it was almost as big as one of our preps! We were fortunate to take this photo before it got so large and heavy, it simply dropped off the plant!
Happy Gardening!
Kitchen Report
Students enjoyed preparing a healthy lunch box option in the form of a salad wrap.
