wonderful herb bouquets and a new tunnel house

I went to three school gardens today and we picked large bouquets of herbs to dry in the classroom over the holidays, in preparation for mothers day next term.
Fenwick school has an abundant herb garden in tyres. Room 7 planted some seeds in their garden plot then got harvesting and tying up their herb bouquets.

 Oamaru North School room 5 came on a garden tour exploring their grounds. They foundh a great big sage plant, parsley and marigolds. Also they harvested some harakeke flax and hebe seeds to take home and plant.

 Duntroon Schools room 4 had a look at their new and amazing tunnel house. Wow it is so cool. They will plant lots of plants in pots.

Amazing conservation day with Papakaio School at Gus's Pond.

The Department of Conservation's Max Crow has a special project growing at Gus's Pond near the Waitaki Bridge in Glenavy. Farmers have identified a natural spring on their land and with Max's help a conservation project is underway.
Mudfish have been found in the pond and amazing efforts of native plantings, fencing, pest monitoring, track making and education are taking place.
Papakaio School were lucky to experience a day of activities and education about the Mudfish and got to contribute to the project by helping beautify the area, putting rocks round existing native trees and planting an array of new ones.

 Max shows the students about how Mudfish are caught to check their numbers. Max shows how to set a trap.

 Students get a rare glimpse of the Mudfish in a fish bowl

 Students got to plant native trees.

Students got to look at tracking cards.

 Check out what creatures have been walking around.

 Identify them from a footprint reference card.

 A drone filmed the whole day

 At the end of the day the Mudfish from the observation tank were released back into the pond.

What an amazing day. So many great educators to make Papakaio's visit great.

Maheno School Garden Club is Cranking!

It's been a whole term since Sophia was last at Maheno School, and she was pleasantly surprised by how well the school garden is developing--a new tool & propagation shed is built and 2 new garden beds are established.

On Monday, 4th April 2016 we planted spring onions, garlic chives, carrots, and radishes. We also weeded, watered, and cleaned the tool shed. Here are some of our observations from garden club.

 Three Ordinary Things We Saw Today: 

1. Weeds: we pulled out lots

 

2. Strawberry plants: the runners have been transplanted for an abundant harvest next spring and summer. 

 3. Seeds: "We planted root crops this week like carrots, radishes, spring onions and garlic chives." -Gemma

 Three Extraordinary Things We Saw Today:

1. Maheno School's Scarecrow hanging out with the garden crew

 2. A tidy toolshed. Thanks Gemma and James for the hard work!

"A tidy tool shed is a good work environment." --Gemma

 3. A bathtub worm farm:

"I never knew the bath tub is a worm farm." --Brooke

 

Totara School Garden Club is Back!

Totara School's garden club is back in action! At garden club this week, it was windy and a bit cold with a grey sky overhead. 

We checked the worms and fed them scraps & silverbeet. Then we tidied the toolshed to create a good work space. After that, we weeded the bark chip path and watered the garden beds. 

When we brain stormed ideas for things to grow and cook, here are some foods that we love to eat and could cook at garden club once we grow the produce: carrots, zucchini chocolate cake, beetroot chocolate cake, savoury muffins, shepherd pie, pumpkin soup with cream, veggie/chicken noodle soup, pumpkin pie, baked potatoes, crispy skin potatoes, veggie soup with cashews, bacon and egg pie, wild pork and peas, apple pie, plum pie, fruit yoghurt, fruit smoothies, and apple sauce.