Support for sustainable fruit and vegetable gardens in High Schools, Primary Schools,
Pre-schools, long day care and after school care programs.

Background

Ready, Set, Grow (RSG) is run by Northern Beaches Health Promotion Unit, with support from Manly Sea Eagles and Kimbriki Eco House & Garden. The program recruits schools into fruit and vegetable garden workshops and encourages them to start gardens at their schools as a way to promote healthy foods to students.

Although many children eat some fruit during their day, according to the NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey the majority of children still do not eat enough vegetables.

By learning about growing vegetables and having fun in the garden, children can develop a positive connection and greater appreciation of vegetables and fruit, as well as increasing their knowledge of healthy environments.

In addition, a new Sustainability & Environmental Management Policy for schools is expected to be released in 4th term 2011. Having a school garden is likely to help with sustainability accountabilities under this new policy.

Ready, Set, Grow Phase 1*

Phase 1 involves:

• A practical workshop run at Kimbriki Eco House & Garden for anyone involved in school gardens. Topics include composting, worm farms, no-dig gardens and using school gardens to teach students about growing and eating healthy food.
• Information on how to access free learning resources.
• An incentive start up garden pack.
• A subsidy towards customised garden advice from a professional.

*Phase 1 has been run in 2010 and 2011.

Ready, Set, Grow Phase 2*

Phase 2 includes:

• An in-service on better integrating the school garden in the class room.
• A curriculum based, health topics resource with lesson plans linking the garden and healthy eating.
• A funded garden consultant teaching students about how to garden whilst teachers use the lesson plans to teach students about healthy eating.
• Schools running a vegetable harvest, where students get to eat the food they have grown in their garden and perform the vegetable raps they have written based on what they have learnt from the project.
  

*This program runs for 30-60minutes each week, over 5-8 weeks. Phase 2 has been run in 2011