Koinonia Christian Academy – A bountiful harvest at school

Edie Crain, Mylli Donovan and Maggie Poole outside the Koinonia greenhouse. Photo contributed

While Koinonia school has been working on a garden project this year, Georgia Anderson from Junior Landcare paid us a visit.

She also suggested that we enter the ABC’s “What’s in Your Backyard” competition hosted by Costa Georgiadis.

The students have taken great delight in activities such as growing herbs and vegies from seeds and cuttings, weeding and clearing the garden beds, and harvesting the produce.

They have also been learning about caring for the chickens gifted by our local farmer, Colin Dunston, and collecting the eggs.

Recently, the students also constructed a greenhouse to keep things going in the colder months with a shade cloth to moderate exposure in the intense summer periods. This is making it possible to grow produce for an extended period outside of the normal seasons.

All students have shared in the bountiful harvest from the garden and have been able to apply their maths skills in weighing and valuing the produce against local retail prices.

They have also been learning about how we can produce fresh nourishing vegies, herbs, and eggs without the use of fertilisers or pesticides in a sustainable manner.

The chickens just love the weeds and vegie scraps from t he garden to supplement their diet which ensures that nothing goes to waste.

Some of the fresh produce never makes it home, as the students love to pluck and munch straight out of the garden. A very healthy “fast food”.

Pat Amos

Principal