A food garden at Ōtūmoetai Primary School — to teach students sustainability and how to reduce waste — is to bear vegetables for its surrounding community.

Teacher-in-charge Jane Foster started the food garden with students this year and says it’s flourishing in popularity with the children.

“I’ve been surprised by how eager they are to get their hands dirty,” says Jane. “We have three lunchtime sessions each week and when I get there, there are often students already waiting for me at the gate.”

Now, the food garden is one of 31 innovative school projects to be funded through Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s 2024 School Sustainability and Resilience Fund.

Jane says a grant of $5000 from the fund has enabled them to buy tools, equipment, supplies and seedlings.

Mila Hales and Ayla Catran love growing vegetables in their school’s food garden. Photo: John Borren.

“We’re growing winter veges at the moment like broccoli, spinach and bok choy. We’re planning on harvesting and then coming up with a system of either sending the kai to in-need families or having a box of free veges that locals can help themselves to.”

Decisions about the garden are often student led, says Jane. “Some students come in with requests for seeds.

“We came up with a vision for the layout of the planter boxes, then the kids worked together to place the pavers and paint. Each student is in charge of their own seeds; watching them grow and learning how to harvest.

“The whole process is designed to teach sustainability and reducing waste with long-term changes,” says Jane. “And I think it provides the kids who don’t play games or sports a safe place to be.”

Teacher-in-charge Jane Foster introduced the food garden to Ōtūmoetai Primary students earlier this year. Photo: John Borren.

The garden measures about 30m by 5m and complements the fruit trees that run the length of the school providing feijoas and oranges.

When it’s officially opened, it will be called Te Māra Kai ō Ōtūmoetai Primary.

“Eventually, we’d like a glasshouse for the seedlings and we’ll be building a box outside the school to put the kai in, but until then the kids love to take vegetables they grow home to their families.”