School Veggie Garden

My school made a conscious decision to build a vegetable garden that would teach students and the school community about sustainability and at the same time contribute to our community. Our veggies when grown are given to a local charity so that they could feed those in need. The charity is one that helps adolescents in need. The food is cooked by a chef at their centre to teach the residents how to cook healthy meals so they can eventually live independently.

Our community veggie garden has been a real success. Within a short time we have grown beautiful fresh veggies and fed others in the community. We have grown corn, capsicums, eggplant, tomatoes – large and small, mint, parsley, carrots and beetroot. We also have grown some fruit trees.

Setting up the veggie garden has been fun and interesting for the whole school community. Not just to learn about sustainability but also to learn about different vegetables and what conditions they grow and thrive in. It’s a great way to learn about healthy eating also. It is a fun and interactive way to learn how to maintain a garden and to get ideas for growing veggies at home. At lunchtime any student can go and water the garden and pull the veggies out that are ripe. Students can help plant new veggies and help out with the composting.

It was very easy to set up and the veggies go to a good cause. The veggies could also go to the school canteen to save money and not to mention the carbon miles this saves the environment because we are not buying in from other areas. It tastes better and it is fresher too!

It’s a great feeling walking past our veggie garden during the day. It looks nice and makes you feel nice that a small project like this has a big impact especially for those in need.

I am proud of what my school has achieved!!