Published 3 February 2012

Having some idea of how plants grow goes a long way towards appreciating how food is produced by agriculture and how our environment functions. Despite being involved with agriculture pretty much all my life, I am actually still a little amazed at the volume and diversity of food that is available for people in cities and towns – every day. So I wonder how much the average Joe might ponder on the origins of what fills their trolley.

Growing something to eat, from seed, is a pretty basic activity, but with our consuming culture, consuming much of our spare time, teaching ourselves and our kids how to produce food has been somewhat abandoned in recent decades.

The incredible convenience and choice on offer at supermarkets is certainly nothing to be shunned. But keeping our community and our kids connected to living systems and food systems is probably the most important way we can ensure food producers and our environment are valued.  

For the past three years, Mid-Western Regional Council has been running a Garden Classroom program, where each year, a new school receives financial assistance and technical support to build a school vegetable garden. Mudgee Public School, along with Goolma and Hargraves has participated in the program. Could your kids’ school be next?

Expressions of interest are now open for the Mid-Western Regional Council School Garden Classroom program, where a new school will have the opportunity over 2012 to transform part of their school grounds into an amazing, fun place for learning how food grows.

A School Garden Classroom is also a way of incorporating many aspects of the formal school curriculum into a refreshing and motivating environment.

The opportunity includes:

• Technical support delivered by a horticulturist
• All materials to establish the garden and make it grow
• Some tools to do the job

Expressions of interest close 16^th February, so if you’d like to see a garden at your school, encourage your teachers to apply. Contact Council for an EOI form.