Growing more than just plants in Whittington

YOUNG kids and their families have teamed up with the Hub 3219 (run by Encompass) using approximately 200 plants from their local seven-acre farm in Leopold to start a community edible garden at the Apollo Place Childcare and Kindergarten.

Children’s week was in full swing last Thursday and Friday in Geelong, particularly in the small suburb of Whittington at the Hub 3219 and its local kindergarten.

Hub 3219, working with its Encompass Paddock Farm Project and gardening group, was able to help the kinder’s children plant a colourful edible garden with their families.

The initiative was partially facilitated by the City of Greater Geelong thanks to a $350 grant as part of the city’s 2021 Community Grants and aims to promote sustainable practices for children by creating an edible garden as well as having a connection to Country with indigenous plants.

“We have a great little community here in Whittington where we take care of Encompass’s social enterprises,” coordinator of the Hub Jan Daniels said.

“It was during our previous Reconciliation Day event that we noticed the front garden of the kindergarten was pretty bare, so we thought it would be a good idea to do a colourful activity there which is how the garden came about.

“From there the kids will be able to grow the produce, possibly cook the produce and then we will be able to drop off anything else we grow to the food bank around the corner.”

The children will now be encouraged to utilise the produce grown from the community garden with their family and learn about the fun to be found in worms and compost in a healthy garden.

As a reward, all the children will be given a small plant to take home and start their own growth journey in their own backyard.

In addition to learning about sustainable food practices, the kids involved will benefit from the social interaction that comes with maintaining a community garden and working with other children and the workers at Encompass, according to coordinator of The Paddock Farm Project Steve Hanan.

“The strongest point for our workers and the kids is that social interaction,” Mr Hanan said.

“Being able to service the region with planting projects like this, it not only improves employability skills for the workers, but it improves a sense of community, camaraderie and confidence amongst the kids too and that is really important.”

To learn more about the different initiatives that The Hub 3219 offers, head to encompass-cs.org.au/hub-3219-homestart.