Features
Carnaun School Organic Garden Diary
In Carnaun School we were always interested in Environmental Awareness. Over the years we had lots of practical projects in the school resulting in our School Heritage Trail. The school has been litter free since 1990 and we were awarded our 1st European Green Flag in 2000. So it was a natural progression to look for an Organic Symbol. After 3 years of conversion (2003) we were awarded this status.
We love to work in the Garden - it's our favourite subject and it gets us out of the classroom.
In Organic Gardening we do not use harmful chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers. We make our own compost to help the vegetables grow and we rotate our crops so that the goodness will remain in the soil.
A balanced rotation - divide the garden in four and sow in one division potatoes followed next year by roots (carrots and parsnips), then brassica (cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts etc.) and then legumes (peas and beans) - ensures the best return from the soil, avoids pests and diseases and keeps weeds under control.
When we grow up we hope to have an organic garden of our own or to be able to buy fresh organic produce locally.
We have an inspection every year and we look forward to Mr. David Storey's visit. After our inspection he gives us lots of help, advice and encouragement.
Gardening Diary
January, February, March:
We start the year with a Spring Cleanup in the schoolyard, garden, pond and compost bins, and cut back plants that have become too big.
April:
We dug over the garden in April to get rid of winter weeds, Old plants like cabbage were put on the compost heap. Then we sowed some seeds in trays of compost. We gave them to a local horticulturalist who will look after them in her glasshouse. Soon we will get a little tunnel of our own.
Later on we will be planting out and caring for the garden.
Note from the Teacher!
We hope that this will be a regular column for us where we will let you know how we get on with the gardening throughout the school year. Remember it is not all success - but we can take the good with the bad.
Like many schools, we had an environmentally friendly type of school garden over the years but it was not until we got our Organic Symbol that we began to realise how important it was to do things in this way and now Organic gardening is a way of life with us and is part of the Science curriculum.
Organic Gardening is fun for the children and ideal as a base for lots of practical science projects from seed and soil testing to conditions suitable for the growth of healthy food to some of the high profile and fun projects we have recently been successful with such as "Cooking in the Compost Bin", "Ultra Voilet Rays and their effect on people in the West of Ireland" to this year's one "Could we heat the Green House / School / Home with Solar Energy"?
Projects on The Wildlife Pond, Wildflower Meadow and Bird Garden have been a source of wonder and awe to the children since their installation. All these projects and lots more are feasible to children in the "room outside" but take on an added meaning / excitement / importance when they are done on an organic basis.
Jamie Oliver is raising awareness of healthy eating in schools in England - nutrition is an important part of our living - the tide is turning and we should not be left behind. Rather then trying to enforce different eating rules and habits in our schools why not through the science programme show the way to organic goodness and the healthy eating habits will follow.
Contrary to popular belief we do not spend all our time in the garden - most of the time it is a quick out and in again. Preparation is important so that time outside is not wasted. We do not have a regular caretaker so every plant is sown by the children and they have responsibility for the school yard - so it is their garden and their vegetables.
In the summertime the garden is neglected to a certain extent as everyone is away or very busy and that can't be helped but a lot of the food can be harvested before the holidays if the seeds are "brought on" in a tunnel.
Many of our pupils, as a result of what they are learning in school, have a little organic vegetable plot at home. Now that's success! Soon they will be as adults demanding organic food from the local grocer and organic food will be readily available with popular demand.
Records of the work done are kept in the children's display folders or on our website at homepage.eircom.net/~foregan and like all other subjects in the curriculum evaluation is a necessary part of planning. Our email is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will be happy to answer any queries you have on the subject if we are able.
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