The school gardens and orchard have gratefully received these early season rains.  With most of the falls being over the weekends, there has been little disruption to outdoor gardening activities.

Class One are continuing to tend and harvest a fantastic carrot crop.  They have shown great patience in waiting 100 days for the carrots to be ready!  They have also been learning about how to differentiate between a tap-root and a fibrous root plant by looking at the leaf veins.

Class Two have been busy establishing their winter vegetable crops, with broccoli, pac choy and broad beans soon to be on the menu.  We have been exploring the world of leaf shapes and patterns.

Class Three have continued to work hard in the field, in this their biodynamic farming year.  Having made a big compost pile inoculated with biodynamic preparations, they have planted and mounded a large potato crop and a garlic crop too.  The compost will be applied later in the winter to keep these plants happy and healthy.

Class Four and Five have begun botany lessons, with fungi being the first topic.  Although Robyn will run the main lesson botany later in the year, the class will be able to expand their learning in the field with me each week.  And with all this rain, the fungi are popping up everywhere.  It’s exciting to see the children grasp the idea of an underground network that helps plants and trees to communicate (mycelium).

Class Six have been working on their herb bed, and experimenting with herbal teas.  The class has been encouraged to find a seasonal recipe that involves at least one vegetable or fruit from the school gardens.  Some of the results have been amazing!

In their final year at Golden Hill, the Class Six children take on the role of “custodianship” of the school gardens.  This means gardening work in different parts of the school grounds and grounding through physical labour.

Happy Gardening!

Neal