A Truganina school has celebrated the launch of its kitchen garden program.
Dohertys Creek P-9 College hosted the event last Wednesday, with students, teachers, the school council and parents in attendance.
Tarneit MP Sarah Connolly also visited the college for the occasion.
The school created the new kitchen garden after being awarded an Inclusive Schools Grant from the Victorian School Building Authority.
The aim of the kitchen garden program is to provide experiences for students of all ages to learn about growing food successfully and harvesting for consumption in an inclusive environment.
The garden has paths that can be easily accessed, raised garden beds, different plants for sensory needs and seating. It also is part of a Community Hub, which the wider community can access.
As part of the program, students will learn about the fresh food cycle, growing processes from seed to harvest, native plants including indigenous ‘bush tucker’, taking care of plants, different growing conditions and seasons across Australia, and safe use of gardening tools.
They will also study the positive impacts of gardens on our environment, responsible water use and conservation, eco-systems, composting, waste reduction and how to use produce in the kitchen.
Students who are involved with the kitchen garden program have already begun transferring the skills learned at school into their homes, by planting winter vegetables, mulching, watering and removing weeds to maintain healthy gardens.
