Tintern School visits Koonwarra
2 Jun 08
showing students and teachers environmentally friendly products
Tintern School is situated in Ringwood East in a bush setting incorporating a working farm, and a curriculum with an emphasis on the environment.
A busload of students, together with five teachers, visited South Gippsland at the beginning of May, staying at Fish Creek but spending the majority of their time in and around Koonwarra.
The began their stay with a talk by Rosemary Swart, an Education Officer with the Koonwarra Sustainable Communities Centre in Koala Drive Koonwarra. Rosemary spoke to them about the 100 Mile food principal. The students were given information about food miles and the carbon cost attached to them. Koonwarra is an ideal venue to run a food miles program because of the principals relating to organic local foods which are promoted throughout the Koonwarra village.
This was followed by a visit to an organic dairy farm and a visit to another farm to watch the milking.
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On the Saturday morning they enjoyed some time at the Koonwarra Farmers market and then a talk by Tony Hellier and Melanie Cole from "The Outside Bit" . Tony pointed out a number of environmentally friendly items they promote through their Nursery business in Koonwarra such as the Bokashi Bins, Bat boxes and washing products made from plants.
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| Students looking at the herbs |
"Do I have enough money left" Teachers making their purchases |
A short trip to Peaceful Gardens Organic Farm at Nerrena followed and then a session at the Peaceful Gardens Organic Cooking School back in Koonwarra.
Koonwarra came to the notice of one of the Teachers in an article in The Age in January and she realised that many things she wanted the students to learn and experience were found in the one spot - Koonwarra. This website told her more!
They returned to their School considering the trip well worthwhile and planning to return again in the future.
