Te Kao has fertile community gardens which are thriving with their second harvest already coming in and the benefits abundant.

Much like growth cycles, students’ knowledge of nutrition is coming full-circle as they learn how to grow, harvest, prepare, use and then replenish their healthy bounty. This learning in school is then carried into their home-life as whānau are welcome to make use of the produce available in the māra (garden).

Energizer Garth delivered a talk earlier this term on Pro Joe’s Lunchbox and eating from the four food groups, which is essential for a healthy diet. The tamariki at Te Kao are then able to immediately implement this knowledge as their gardens have a selection of vegetables for them to prepare and use such as carrots, kale, silver beet, celery, lettuce, kumara as well as herbs like parsley, thyme, sage and mint. Having these healthy, fresh options encourages them to prepare them in healthy and nutritious ways.

Students had prepared pizzas at the end of last term to ‘celebrate tamariki success’ which they even cooked in their own pizza oven! They are also building their own cottage industry using their huawhenua (vegetables) to make delicious hangi which they have sold to fundraise for a school trip to Rarotonga.

The end of this term with Garth will be marked with a pizza or hangi shared lunch, using the finest home-grown ingredients. Garth goes onto say ”it’s great to see what I’m delivering being taken on board, and I can’t wait to see what the tamariki have learned about healthy food this term. Reka!”