Sunday 20th March 2016… and the kick-off of a great gardening and cooking project that we call Family Farm & Feast (Family Farm & Feast – download flyer here).
It is funded by a grant from Santander with additional help from Thames Water’s community fund, plus loads of parents and supporters who have donated time, food and money to the HSA.
New raised beds had been built at the school and existing beds repaired just a week earlier by a team of business volunteers. Now it was time for the parents – and in particular, the children – to get the crops started for a major term of gardening after Easter…
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- Oooo, the anticipation! School staff took care not to overdo it before the crowds arrived… whereas an eager parent couldn’t wait to start digging.
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- Soon joined by plenty of others, of course – here in potato corner.
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- It felt as if every available inch got planted.
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- Mr Scarborough made a home for some pea plants.
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- At the back of the juniors’ classrooms, the shallot team were hard at work.
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- That’s right – you’ve got to pat it down.
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- Then, there were the spinach beds to seed.
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- And still more beds needed topping up with earth.
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- Supplies on the way!
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- New bed, all ready to plant (outside Delphinus).
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- “Where do we put this one?”
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- Meanwhile, low-cost irrigation measures were being engineered in the juniors’ playground.
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- All you need is a camping stove…
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- …eager workers…
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- …a pair of pliers and a red-hot nail…
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- …and there you go! Irrigation reservoir!
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- Another team got to work on the pond area.
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- For some, of course, it was all about the outfits.
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- Moment of truth – was our solar-powered drip-feed pipe going to work?
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- It worked! It worked! Do you see that drip? It’s fed from the water butt – NOT the tap.
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- Spotted it!
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- Course, we had to use the hose-pipe, too…
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- And then – playtime.
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- Although some were turning the soil to the very end.
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- Ms Pavey showed the children how to keep the seeds warm ’til sunnier weather comes.
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- Hard workers took time to chill in the refreshment hut.
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- While others grabbed a seat wherever they could. Great work, everyone!
