KwaZulu Natal - Nottingham Road

King's School
April was Soil Month at King's School. Learners from Grade 0-4 explored types of soil, not only learning about different types of soil but collecting, wetting, moulding, smelling and even tasting it to understand more.
Learners practised their mulching skills using stable straw from the local riding school, leaves and dry grass clippings.
They also helped make a compost heap, making compost into an exciting process can be a challenge but we found a fabulous way to make this a fun theme. Pairs of learners were equipped with empty sacks. One of the pair had to sack race to a certain point, return to their partner and after the partner completed the exercise they had to fill their sack with composting materials (in this case leaves or grass clippings) and race back to the compost site. The learners want to make compost frequently now!!
Comfrey and yarrow were planted on another date and learners now know their properties as well as what they do for the garden.
A worm farm was created from a scrap metal barrel that had been used as a braai container (it had slits cut into it so better aeration for the worms)this was mounted on bricks and a container placed underneath to catch the worm wee. The barrel was half filled with manure mixed with old straw, damp leaves and green grass clippings. Into this was placed the Red Tiger Worms. A discarded wooden kennel lid was used as a lid which makes it look very quaint. The learners loved the whole process and will be taking turns to look after their 'pet Tigers'.
In the classroom learners discussed what worms do for us and the garden and also created a Worm Menu (Starters: damp leaves, Main course : vegetables from the kitchen, manure, Dessert: banana skins and fruit peelings!)

Nottingham Road Combined school
April was a busy month at this school also. With Winter fast approaching it was important to establish a winter garden to support the Feeding Scheme. The old vegetable garden was looking neglected. It had been adopted by some community members but they hadn't been seen in months. We decided to revive it and had a good look at some of the problems there.
The soil was in poor condition from years of tilling and exposure, the soil is clay based and prone to cracking and hardened especially under the harsh sun. There were no pathways and no design.The fencing was in a poor state and there was no gate.

On a brighter note the tap is right beside the garden, the site is close to the classrooms and very visible as you arrive at the school and the educators and cooking ladies were keen on reviving it as a functioning garden.
Interestingly we also uncovered a small grave in the garden! It was overgrown with grass and a rosebush and is broken and unclear but was erected for a 6 and a half month old boy. The learners decided that we should plant flowers around this and not vegetables and keep it nice and neat from now on.

We started the process by collecting masses of rotted manure (20 bags) and bringing in lots of mulch. A big clear pathway was marked out clearly with string and was cleared and mulched heavily. Beds were laid out in the same manner on either side, the beds were made with clear paths on either side and most are about 4/5 metres in length and less than 2 meters wide for easy maintenance.
The new beds were forked over and cleared of weeds and lots of the manure forked in before getting mulched. The weeds were put in the new compost heap.
Existing spinach and onions were moved to new beds and watered.
On following days we planted lots of comfrey and yarrow on the edges of beds, beetroot, cabbage, spinach, sage, lavender and parsley.

Further beds are prepared for the next planting. All pathways will be delineated by red roping as learners in this school have a poor record in not standing on plants! Using the roping and explaining to each grade the purpose of keeping off the beds should ease this problem.
The feedback from educators and learners has been good, the mulching of pathways in particular is approved of highly as learners struggle in the mud continuously and are always washing their shoes.

Coming up next is enlarging their already existing worm farm, building the Outdoor Classroom and the Big Green Dream event on the 2 June.