1/2 E gets artistic in the Garden

Parent Volunteer Vanessa J. (Aka Vanessa Johnson) has sent a few pictures from a recent visit to the garden.

The 1/2E kids have been talking about how they want to decorate the garden beds and  decided on making some mosaic tiles for the boarder!

Should be fun (not sure how it will turn out – Vanessa needs to teach herself how to mosaic first!

These images are the kids first attempt at drawing up their designs!  Nice work by 1/2E kids…..Ella, Anya, Mabel, Maggie, Eden, Eliza, Jack, Harrison, Scarlet and Ruby.

We’ll pop a notice in the newsletter to see if anyone has any spare tiles lying around at home we could use and hopefully we will be able to start on the final artworks after we get back from holidays in a few weeks time!

 

 

1/2 B Kitchen Garden Update

1/2 B are at it again! Well done everyone!

 

Today we planted coriander seeds that Jess gave us, garlic and spring onion, pulled some weeds & gave the garden a good water & added worm juice. The carrots are doing really well… we had a sneak peak under the soil to check!!

 

 

 

Prep H Kitchen Garden Adventures

Tam Alner has sent in a progress report from the hard working kids in Prep H. 

Thanks to Miss H, the Prep H aides and especially Tam the parent volunteer for making the Prep H garden bed one of the prettiest in the whole Garden! Well done kids! Not only has Prep H grown a lot of beautiful vegetables but they have also spotted the Bunny.

This Bunny is cute. This Bunny is also hungry. I’m sure there were some good conversations about rabbits in Australia. There were so many good pictures from Tam and Prep H that I made a little slide show. See Tams story below.

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While preparing our patch, a little rabbit was wandering about…

Week 1: Planting out our seeds and seedling.

We planted some spearmint, lemon balm and thyme and loved smelling the herbs before we planted them. We talked about what plants need to grow and which vegies we all liked to eat.

We also planted some seedlings of beetroot, snow peas, tomatoes and Brussel sprouts and some climbing bean seeds to climb up our driftwood tepee.

Week 5:

Our garden was in need of some love, so we got our gloves on and cleared out the weeds.

We also decorated the patch by weaving different ribbon and threading on some buttons and beads.

In the process, we spotted some snow peas growing beautifully, some tomatoes that may or may not ripen and many more flowers ready for more snow peas.

We also spotted a caterpillar and a lovely, long worm…

Everyone who helped took a turn drawing some of the vegies we have growing in our patch.

We are waiting for our beetroots to grow a little bigger so we can harvest them and make some beetroot and chocolate cupcakes….. YUM.

 

As ever please send any comments to us at SomersSchoolGarden@gmail.com

All photos are cross referenced to ensure no photos are inappropriately shared. If you would like us to change something please get in touch.

 

 

 

Where is your bed?

By which We mean your Garden Bed. Every class in the school now has its own garden bed. That means your class (or your kids classes) have an ongoing project in the garden either with their teachers, the teaches aides or our wonderful parent volunteers.

Pop in and have a look at what’s going on.

FREE Growing From Seed Workshop.

It’s a little daunting at first knowing what to do and what not to do with your seeds. 

So I asked a friend. That friend was Jess Brady who knows a lot about this. Even more importantly she showed me how to do it while all the time make it seem easier not harder. That is gold dust.

Come along to the workshop in the 5th of June and meet the other local gardeners associated with the school. 

You don’t have to be a volunteer at the school gardens. You don’t have to do anything in return. All you need is an interest in growing stuff!

1/2 B Update.

1/2 B had another lovely afternoon in the garden with the parent volunteers.

We planted radishes, silverbeet & more parsley! Our snow peas, carrots, beetroots & Brussel sprouts are all growing well! The children were very intrigued by the wiggly worms in the garden!
There was lots of other work going on with 5/6 C and 1/2 H tending to their garden beds.

Prep Hs garden is overflowing with greenery!!

Autumn in the Garden with 1/2 B

All of the garden beds have been planted and are growing well.

The class of 1/2 B has had a regular day in the garden with the wonderful parent volunteers that have been helping them; Ana H. and Pippa H.(Also known as Ana Hughes and Pippa Howes.)

The kids have had a great time. And of course the conversation always  turned to food.

 

Heres the second term progress week by week;

Week 1 – planning & measuring our garden

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Week 2 – planting carrots & beetroot seedlings in our garden

Week 3 – planting sugar snap peas & brussel sprouts seedlings in our garden

 

 

Week 4 – pulling weeds & planting parsley seeds in our garden

Week 5 – Harvest Rhubarb & cooked Apple and Rhubarb Crumble – YUM!

Heres the recipe;

Apple & Rhubarb Crumble

INGREDIENTS
500g (about 3 large) granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into thin wedges
1 bunch rhubarb (about 450g), trimmed, washed, cut into 4cm lengths
1 tablespoons caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick & 3 cloves

CRUMBLE
2 tablespoons plain flour
60g reduced fat polyunsaturated margarine
90g dessicated coconut
50g (1/2 cup) rolled oats
55g (1/4 cup) firmly packed brown sugar

METHOD
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan forced. Lightly grease a 1.5L (6 cup) capacity oven proof baking dish.
Step 2
To make the filling, place the apples, rhubarb, 80ml (1/3 cup) water, sugar and cinnamon in a medium size saucepan over a medium heat. Simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until apples and rhubarb are just tender. Remove and discard cinnamon stick & cloves.
Step 3
Meanwhile, place the flour, margarine, coconut, oats and sugar in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the margarine until well combined and large crumbs form.
Step 4
Spoon the fruit into the prepared dish, sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve with custard.

Thanks to Ana and Pippa for all their work.

All volunteers, teachers, aides and kids are invited to send us photos or stories or drawings of their time in the garden. Just send them to SomersSchoolGarden@gmail.com and we will take care of the rest.

Kids Eye View

Whats it like spending a day in the Garden and making yummy food with your garden grown fruit and vegetables?

Grade 1 and 2 in the garden

The kids from 1/2 B have been writing or drawing about their time in the garden. Some of it is very cute. Have a little look at a selection of their work by pressing the link below below.

Student Reflections 1:2 B Garden group

Rhubarb Recipe Recommendation by 1/2B

Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhubarb

1/2 B have grown and now cooked up some Rhubarb in a crumble.

There were no complaints. At all. None. It was very popular. Try it.

Apple & Rhubarb Crumble

INGREDIENTS FOR FRUIT
500g (about 3 large) granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into thin wedges
1 bunch rhubarb (about 450g), trimmed, washed, cut into 4cm lengths
1 tablespoons caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick & 3 cloves

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUMBLE
2 tablespoons plain flour
60g reduced fat polyunsaturated margarine
90g dessicated coconut
50g (1/2 cup) rolled oats
55g (1/4 cup) firmly packed brown sugar
METHOD
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan forced. Lightly grease a 1.5L (6 cup) capacity oven proof baking dish.
Step 2
To make the filling, place the apples, rhubarb, 80ml (1/3 cup) water, sugar and cinnamon in a medium size saucepan over a medium heat. Simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until apples and rhubarb are just tender. Remove and discard cinnamon stick & cloves.
Step 3
Meanwhile, place the flour, margarine, coconut, oats and sugar in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the margarine until well combined and large crumbs form.
Step 4
Spoon the fruit into the prepared dish, sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve with custard.