Planning a School Food Garden

OPERATIONS FACT SHEET 1.009 | HOW TO – PLANNING A SCHOOL FOOD GARDEN

F AST FACTS

■ A great way to encourage healthy eating habits in younger students and to build hands-on skills in older students.

■ An attractive, useful and ‘self built’ area at school can boost self esteem in individuals as well as pride in the school and community.

■ Parents and members of the wider community can get involved as a volunteer labour force. This can boost overall community pride and support a positive learning and growing environment for children.

■ Garden based learning can support a number of associated lessons in horticulture, cultural practices, cooking and nutrition.

■ A mix of methods can be used, a garden of perennial plants that is low maintenance, and a few raised beds for seasonal produce that can be utilised during school terms. ESSENTIAL PARTS

Support from the Whole Appropriate Design for Plants that can be Community Involvement Tools & Garden Supplies School Community Student Needs harvested during school and Support terms

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OPERATIONS FACT SHEET 1.009 | HOW TO – PLANNING A SCHOOL FOOD GARDEN

TYPES OF SCHOOL FOOD GARDENS

THEME GARDENS FORAGING GARDEN

Theme gardens are usually quite small and planted A mix of in-ground plantings and garden beds that in pots. Examples include a ‘pizza garden’, which feature local bush food and medicine plants. These might contain garlic, basil, and tomatoes. A ‘Scratch can be in small patches around the school grounds, and Sniff’ sensory garden might be a great idea for interplanted with existing garden beds or bush. Or, very young children or kids with disabilities. you can create a gatherer’s garden as a feature bed somewhere central to the school. RAISED GARDEN BEDS HYDROPONIC OR AQUAPONICS Raised garden beds about 45 cm high, 1m wide and 2-3 metres long. At least 3 - 4 beds will allow Although hydroponic or aquaponic food gardens for a variety of crops to be grown, changing the may require more set up and maintenance than crops with the seasons. Raised garden beds allow raised garden beds, they often do very well in for easy access and maintenance. difficult climates or where space is limited. They can also be a good way to engage older students with science and technical skills.

FRUIT TREES / ORCHARDS

Fruit trees can be incorporated into school gardens with plantings within the school garden, or elsewhere within the school grounds. This will add to the variety of produce grown and utilised in the schools food and nutrition programs

A small container garden is a versatile educational experience without using a lot of space or equipment.

PLANNING YOUR SCHOOL FOOD GARDEN

APPROVALS & SUPPORT SIZE

Start by gaining the approval of the whole school How big the garden is depends on how much space community. This includes teachers, school you have and what the garden will be used for. leadership, school council / board, parent and student groups, and maybe even your education A small garden will not produce much food, but it department. Also check with your local council and will still be educational environment for students. planning authority to ensure this type of activity is Several beds about 1 x 2 m will produce enough allowed on the school site. food for a demonstration kitchen garden. If you want to increase the food supply for your school kitchen, Engage with the local community as a way to or the local community, a larger space will be increase participation and support of the garden. needed.

LEADERSHIP ■ Start small

A ‘garden leader’ should be appointed to manage ■ Assess the site the creation and progress of the garden. This can Draw a plan. be the school principal, an experienced teacher, ■ member of the school council/board, or an MATERIALS experienced gardener. Communities will often be willing to help schools The garden leader should be supported by a small with educational projects for children. You could ask team who will manage construction, garden for donations of cash or tools, gardening supplies, supplies, garden management, and lesson or help with laying out the irrigation system. planning. A school janitor or grounds person should Working bees can be planned to get parents and be involved in the planning, and be trained to the community involved. maintain the food gardens.

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OPERATIONS FACT SHEET 1.009 | HOW TO – PLANNING A SCHOOL FOOD GARDEN

When planning materials, remember that there will WORKING IN THE GARDEN be ongoing maintenance costs for irrigation, mulching, and growing media. Students can do as much of the garden work as possible: planting, collecting seeds, harvesting and To set up, you will need: checking for pests.

■ Tools and a lockable shed However, the heavy lifting and construction work will have to be done by adults or students in their Water and irrigation supplies ■ later teens. Older students may enjoy the ■ Trellis and plant support materials opportunity to assist with construction and irrigation work. ■ Seedlings or seeds TRAINING ■ Compost The people leading the project should at least have ■ Aged manure some training or prior understanding of basic ■ Straw garden management, organic gardening, nutrition, and project-based learning for the relevant age ■ Materials for raised garden beds. groups. Local not-for-profits or councils may be able to assist you with this. SELECTING CROPS There are also lots of great online resources The children should be involved in picking which available for teachers and many of them are free – plants they want to grow. It is best if there are a see the ‘Further Reading’ section. range of plants that offer high yields and nutritional value. This is an opportunity to suggest bush foods SUPPORT or other plants that may have cultural significance. A successful school garden project will need No matter the size of your garden, a variety of enthusiastic and strong support from within the plants is important. A good mix of plants decreases school, including teachers, administration staff, the risk of disease and pest infestation. It also canteen staff, janitors and grounds maintenance improves the biodiversity of the area. staff, and of course the students and parents.

Tips for choosing plants for your school garden: A healthy and supportive school environment often benefits the wider community as well as the ■ Adapted to your climate and soil conditions children. You will probably find that the local government or education authorities as well as local ■ Life cycle fits into school terms businesses and gardening groups will be keen to ■ High nutritional value lend you their support in setting up and running the garden. Let the following people know about your ■ Easy to harvest project and see if they would like to be involved: Easy to turn into food ■ ■ Local educational authorities If you have room, include plenty of herbs. They will ■ Local councils/governments support cooking lessons and most herbs are excellent companion plants, which means they will ■ Local gardening groups improve the health of your produce plants and attract beneficial insects to the garden. ■ Local Elders or people who hold an important cultural position in your community

■ Local experts in relevant fields, e.g. bush tucker, beekeepers, experienced gardeners or chefs from restaurants that have their own kitchen gardens.

■ Teaching Support Groups

Corn is a popular vegetable in child-friendly gardens,

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OPERATIONS FACT SHEET 1.009 | HOW TO – PLANNING A SCHOOL FOOD GARDEN

TRACK SUCCESS ■ Keep a record of all key events: the date you ‘broke ground’ at the garden, first lessons, Tracking the progress of your garden isn’t essential, first harvest, first cooking class etc. but it is a really good idea. Firstly, because it will give the students and the adult participants a sense ■ What skills or knowledge do the children of achievement. Secondly, being able to show how have that they didn’t before? a successful project developed can be extremely useful if you seek more funding to expand the ■ Have you had any feedback from parents or project or create another one. guardians?

■ Take plenty of high resolution photos and ■ How many community members purchase organise them into folders so you remember produce from the school garden? What were what the occasion was. High resolution will the funds used for? allow you to print the photos nicely or send them to the media if they ask.

SEE OVER THE PAGE FOR A HELPFUL CHECKLIST TO HELP YOU SET UP YOUR SCHOOL GARDEN.

FURTHER READING WHAT’S NEXT?

There are many in-depth Australian resources available for schools that want to start a garden. Some include lesson plans and teaching resources in addition to construction and gardening advice. The following are a few recommendations:

Food Ladder Platform

Healthy Kids: How to Start a Kitchen Garden Educational Resources

EON Foundation Edible Gardens Program

Growing Communities: Sustainable Schools and Gardens Resource Page

Primary Industries Education Foundation: Primezone School Resouces 1.008 HOW TO SET UP A Remote Indigenous Gardens Network: EduGrow COMMUNITY GARDEN Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation 2.004 COMPANION Sustainable Schools NSW: Food Garden Teaching Resources PLANTING

NSW Education Department: Teaching and Learning – Kitchen Gardens 2.101 INTRODUCTION TO HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS FAO: Setting up and Running a School Garden: a Manual for Teachers, Parents and Communities

SOURCES

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Setting up and Running a School Garden: a Manual for Teachers, Parents and Communities, Rome, 2005. Accessed 28 July 2020.

Hume, A., Wetten, A., Feeney, C., Taylor, S., O'Dea, K. and Brimblecombe, J. (2014), Remote school gardens: exploring a cost‐effective and novel way to engage Australian Indigenous students in nutrition and health. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 38: 235-240. Accessed 28 July 2020.

Fawcett, Anthea, Food and other gardens in and about remote communities. A guide-planning considerations and project opportunities, Canberra, 2013. Accessed 27 July 2020.

OPERATIONS FACT SHEET 1.009 | HOW TO – PLANNING A SCHOOL FOOD GARDEN

CHECKLIST: SETTING UP A SCHOOL GARDEN

SUPPORT GARDEN DESIGN Principal and School Leadership What is the purpose of the school garden? ☐ Teachers to learn about plant growth ☐ ☐ Support Staff (caretakers, administration etc) to learn about nutrition and cooking ☐ ☐ Parents Groups to learn about managing a garden ☐ ☐ Local Support to engage with the community ☐ Local education authority to learn new skills ☐ ☐ Local gardening groups How many students will join in? ☐ Local plant, soil or bee experts Less than 10 ☐ ☐ Local elders or other culturally important people 11 – 15 ☐ ☐ MATERIALS 16 – 20 ☐ Tools 21 – 25 ☐ ☐ Shed with lock 26 – 30 ☐ ☐ Construction Materials 30+ ☐ ☐ Fencing What student needs are there? ☐ Compost Wheelchair or mobility access ☐ ☐ Aged Manure Sensory sensitivity ☐ ☐ Straw Security from trespass, theft, vandalism ☐ ☐ Seeds or Plants How will the plants be grown? ☐ Irrigation Supplies Outdoors, pots ☐ ☐ TASK RESPONSIBILITY Outdoors, in ground ☐ Clearing site: Outdoors, raised garden beds ☐ ☐ Garden design: Outdoors, hydroponics ☐ ☐ Building garden: Greenhouse, pots ☐ ☐ Laying and testing irrigation: Greenhouse hydroponics ☐ ☐ Building tool shed: What features will the garden have? ☐ Fencing: seating and/or tables ☐ ☐ Other tasks: raised garden beds ☐ ☐ tool shed ☐ water taps ☐ compost and worm farm system ☐ SITE ASSESSMENT wheelchair access ☐ Size sensory garden bed/s ☐ ☐ Access shade ☐ ☐ Existing structures greenhouse ☐ ☐ Existing plants Children to select additional features, such as: ☐ Hrs Sun in 1 Day frog pond ☐ ☐ Soil pH native bee and bug hotels ☐ ☐ Soil Type: habitat for native birds or wildlife ☐ ☐ Sand Clay Silt Loam bird bath ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Soil Quality/Risks: chickens ☐ ☐ Waterlogged Asbestos Other: other: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

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