Foodie schools of Logan
At Beenleigh State High School, a student can be working on linear algebra equations at 10 am – and end up bottle-feeding cows, gathering eggs, and tending to beehives by noon.
The school is among a few in the City of Logan engaging students in the farm-to-table movement.
Agriculture is offered as a subject for Years 7 to 12, where students are encouraged to scrutinise how food intersects with the environment and economy.
The school also hosts a yearly event called Paddock to Plate, where hospitality students serve up a multi-course meal with produce from the school’s working farm.
‘It all starts with an awareness of where your food comes from,’ Head of Agriculture Peta Lenane says.
‘The next step for Paddock to Plate is to implement commercial style composting to improve sustainability and address issues around food waste.’
Another school moving beyond passive food consumption is Canterbury College at Waterford, where Year 3 and 4 students participate in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.
In the living classroom that is the garden, students learn how to germinate plants, reduce food waste through composting and even cook using organic schoolgrown produce.
Assistant Head of Junior School Brittany Sinclair says the purpose of the program is to build practical skills and instill a sense of conservation.
‘We wanted to introduce them to the concept of sustainability and what the farm-to-table experience is,’ she says.
‘Some of the students say it’s their favourite time of the week, coming out and learning in the garden.’
Loganlea State High School has also returned to its roots with an Agribusiness program.
‘We realised we needed to embed more Indigenous perspectives and First Nations culture into our curriculum,’ Head of Agribusiness Jake Whittle says.
At the 40-hectare agricultural training facility, students maintain a Bush Tucker Garden among other tasks.
‘Through food, students are really engaging with what we have at this school to develop their knowledge of First Nations practices and processes,’ Jake says.
