MURRABIT Group School is getting ready for the first harvest of its community garden.
Students have already picked the strawberries and lettuces and cut some vegetables to take home and cook.
Cabbages, tomatoes, spring onions, tomatoes and silverbeet are now nearly ready to be eaten.
The school received a Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden grant of $5000 and added some funds of its own to set up the garden.
Principal Greg Adams said staff drew on the expertise and enthusiasm of the community in designing and building the garden.
Stephen O’Donoghue, who was behind the Murrabit community garden, was involved, and local resident Greg Maher led the design and building of the garden beds.
Students also had some input into what the garden beds would look like and what vegetables to plant.
Six garden beds were constructed and an automatic watering system set up.
A working bee was also held, with the school community coming together to build a shed.
A portable kitchen has also been constructed, which will be used in a program involving parents and community members to prepare meals as the vegetables ripen.
Mr Adams said the garden beds had been divided between year levels, with students responsible for looking after them.
He said the students had embraced the initiative and were keenly involved in weeding, picking and maintaining the area.
“Now they’re in place, the kids spend time at lunch and recess maintaining them,” Mr Adams said.
Two more garden beds are scheduled to be built and the school community is also raising money for a chook shed.
Part of a $1000 grant from the shire will be used to create artwork for the area.
