Farm My School to pilot in Drysdale

BELLARINE Secondary College (BSC), Bellarine Community Health (BCH) and Farm My School Ltd. (FMS) founders are inviting the community to a ground-breaking no-dig festival to help transform an unused soccer pitch into a thriving food source.

The 24-Hour No-Dig Festival at Bellarine Secondary College in Drysdale, is an ambitious initiative that would allow the school to sustain its community by turning an unused 1.5-acre pitch into a permaculture market garden, which will eventually provide regular produce for the school’s families through affordable weekly organic veggie boxes and supply fresh food to the school canteen.

“A no-dig garden is one you don’t have to dig,” Farm My School co-founder James McLennan said.

“Although this event is ground-breaking, we won’t actually be breaking any ground.

“Also known as a lasagne garden, it involves layering organic material to build diversity and soil health.

“To build our farm we will be using renewable resources which have been generously donated from local businesses, such as newspapers, straw, manure, cardboard, and coffee grounds.”

BSC principal Wayne Johannesen said he and the school’s community were looking forward to being part of a FMS pilot project.

“The college recognises the fabulous opportunities that the program will provide,” Mr Johannesen said.

“It will offer a hands-on learning experience to actively engage students in a practical way, deepening their awareness of how they can make a very real difference to how we live.”

BCH said the project would increase access to healthy, locally grown food for families in the community.

“We want to empower local young people to be ecological stewards and change agents in their community,” BCH health planner Fiona Cadorel said.

“Families should be able to access healthy food that is also affordable, but we know that this is not always easy for the families in our community.

“We know that 1 in 4 families don’t have enough food on their table each day.”

The 24-hour festival, which starts at 9am on October 1 and wraps up at 9am on October 2, will feature special guest from Gardening Australia Costa Georgiadis, coffee and food from local food vendors, music, and workshops where participants can learn how to build their own no-dig market garden at home.

For more information, head to farmmyschool.com/build-a-farm-in-day to book tickets.