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Welcome to all of the new schools who have registered with the BFA Organic School Gardens Program.
With over 500 schools now registered for the Program the BFA team have been busy planning and developing new and exciting programs, lessons and competitions for 2011. The following notice provides details of new developments in the program which could see your school receive free gardening products, funding to build or expand your school garden and the opportunity to participate in exciting new projects.
What is the BFA Organic School Gardens Program?
Designed for students aged 8 -12 years, the program is available as a free downloadable resource containing written materials for lessons taking place both inside and outside the classroom. The program is written in line with Australian organic standards and features practical and easy-to-use online lesson plans and supervisor’s notes suitable for all Australian schools.
In this edition:
- Become a Leader School
- Winners announced – Face of the BFA Organic School Gardens Program and Scarecrow competition
- Adopt a Farmer Program
- Coming Soon (Funding)
................................................................................................
Leader schools 
BFA would like to work more closely with schools that are aiming to follow the full set of BFA Organic School Garden’s Program lesson plans. Schools will be given the title ‘Leader Schools’ and promoted nationally.
There are many benefits to your school in becoming a Leader!
These include:
- Receive a minimum $1000 worth of gardening goods such as organic fertilisers, worms, seeds, weed mats etc from supporting businesses!
- Receive promotion as a Leader School through the Organic School Gardens website, BFA’s nationally distributed magazines, at events and in the media
- Benefit from the advice of expert organic gardeners and farmers
- Provide us with lesson feedback which will serve to assist other schools for adopting gardening programs in the future
To register your interest in becoming a leader school please download and complete the registration form and email to organicschools@bfa.com.au
Closing date for 1st round applications is 28 February 2011
Winners Announced...
Face of the BFA Organic School Gardens Program
After a large number of entries from all across Australia, BFA is proud to announce that Shailer Park Public School, Queensland, has won the title of the ‘Face of the BFA Organic School Gardens program’ for the next 6 months. Congratulations to all involved at Shailer Park for all their hard work and for showing us how their garden has benefited the students, wider community and the environment! Photos of the award winning garden will be available on the website soon.
For all their hard work Shailer Park Public School has won a great selection of organic gardening products.
Scarecrow Competition – Victorian Schools only
In Victoria, schools went to work making the Most Organic, the Scariest and the Most Fabulous Scarecrows as part of the 2010 BFA Organic School Gardens scarecrow competition.
Congratulations to the winning schools:
Most Organic Scarecrow: Dorset Primary School
Most Fabulous Scarecrow: Belgrave Heights Christian School
Scariest Scarecrow: Coburg Primary School
All winners will receive great prizes for their school gardens and the chance to be included in an exhibition in February 2011.Thank you to all schools who submitted an entry in the 2010 BFA Organic School Gardens scarecrow competition!
Visit the photo gallery to check out the all of the amazing entrants.
Adopt a Farmer
In 2011, schools participating in the BFA Organic School Gardens Program will have a chance to ‘Adopt a Farmer’. The Adopt a Farmer Program has been established to connect schools with local or regional certified organic farmers. The project creates unique opportunities for farmers to visit schools and for students to experience the day to day workings of a primary production operation first-hand, with on-farm learning opportunities as part of a school excursion
The Adopt a Farmer Program will:
• enhance students’ learning experiences
• assist in educating children about the nutritional and environmental values inherent in organic farming processes
• help students’ develop an appreciation and understanding of where our food comes from
There will be a registration form available on the organic school gardens website soon. Closing date for 1st round applications is 28 February 2011 For further enquiries about this program please email organicschools@bfa.com.au.
Coming Soon
Funding….
Starter Schools Program
In 2011 we are aiming to have funding available for schools who are starting out on their journey with the BFA Organic School Gardens Program. Funds will be made available to registered schools to build a school garden or expand an existing one.
There will be a registration form and funding criteria available on the organic school gardens website soon. Closing date for 1st round applications is 28 February 2011. For further enquiries about this program please email organicschools@bfa.com.au
BFA Organic School Gardens Program school locator map
Across Australia there are now 500 schools registered with the program! We want to publish schools registered with this program on an online map. Schools will be listed by name and location only on the BFA Organic School Gardens Program school locator map on www.organicschools.com.au. If you do not want for this to occur, please email education@bfa.com.au.
Program registration
Are you using the program but haven’t officially registered? To access expert advice, and receive notices and updates on upcoming competitions and programs please register your school at www.organicschools.com.au. It’s free and it takes less than two minutes.
Seasons greetings
The BFA would like to wish all schools a wonderful summer break. We are looking forward to working with you in 2011.
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Important notice: Safety risks to children - treated timber garden and other school structures
Re: CCA treated timber in school gardens
It has come to BFA's attention that CCA treated timber has been used to construct garden beds and other structures in some school gardens.
CCA treated timber is first on the list of 'Garden Hazards to Avoid in the BFA Organic SChool Gardens Program . We urge school staff and school garden supervisors to read both Parts 1 and 2 of the Introduction before setting up garden areas, and to notify volunteers and trades people of products, materials or procedures that are to be avoided in school gardens.
Problems with CCA treated timber:
Following the phase-out for all domestic uses of CCA treated timber in the US, EU, Canada, Indonesia and Vietnam, and restrictions on its use in Japan, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) conducted a review of timbers treated with copper, chromium and arsenic as a preservative (CCA treated timber) and, as a result, in March 2005, declared this preservative to be a restricted chemical product (RCP) in the public interest.
The APVMA proposed regulations came into effect at the end of March 2006 restricting the uses of CCA for timber preservation because APVMA "were not satisfied that the continuing use of CCA for timber used in structures with which the public (and particularly children) are likely to come into frequent and intimate contact is safe".
Included in the restrictions is: (10.1. iv) "not permitting uses of CCA timber treatment products for timber intended for use as garden furniture, picnic tables, exterior seating, children’s play equipment, patio and domestic decking, and handrails".
Page 15 of the APVMA's "Pest Management in Schools" document, published in 2009, states:
"The APVMA has restricted the use of copper chrome arsenate (CCA) timber treatments, which are no longer permitted for timber intended for use as exterior seating, decking and children’s play equipment (see www.apvma.gov.au/chemrev/download/arsenic_summary.pdf)
Common sense would dictate that the APVMA restrictions would also apply to garden beds (as they do to sand pits) because this timber can leach arsenic (a known carcinogen) into compost and soil for up to 20 years. There are a number of factors that affect the amount of arsenic leached from treated timbers, and some species of food crops can absorb high levels of arsenic.
As young children have a tendency to put their fingers in their mouths, and tend to be less careful about washing their hands, they can ingest significant amounts of leached arsenic from the surface of CCA treated timbers. Children are, of course, more vulnerable to all pesticides because their organs are still developing and young children eat more food per kilogram of body weight than adults do.
The regulations proposed by the APVMA allow the use of CCA treated timber for 'structural timbers' and the timber industry has included retaining walls in that description. However, the APVMA Review (page 11) clearly states, structural timbers "where frequent contact is unlikely, and the level of exposure and risk, is low".
Once installed:
Research by the US EPA (in 2005) found that penetrating sealants can reduce, but not eliminate, arsenic migrating from the treated wood. The data show sealants that can penetrate wood surfaces are preferable to products such as paint, because paints and other film-formers can chip or flake, requiring scraping or sanding for removal, which can increase exposure to arsenic.
US research (Gray and Houlihan, 2002: 4-6), has found that arsenic levels on CCA-treated wood remained high for 20 years, and that timber had to be re-coated every 6 months, making the maintenance of this timber to reduce students' exposure a tedious and expensive process. The only safe solution is to remove CCA treated timber from areas where children are likely to have regular close contact with it. (www.herinst.org/ccatimber/recommendations/insitu.html)
Despite the APVMA Review’s recommendations coming into regulation more than four years ago (see http://www.apvma.gov.au/products/review/docs/arsenic_summary.pdf), and despite the availability of newer, safer methods of timber preservation, the Australian timber industry has disregarded the restrictions and continued to supply CCA timbers for unsuitable purposes. The APVMA authority extends only to the application of chemicals and enforcement of the regulations is left to various state authorities.
As a consequence, Australian children are continuing to be unnecessarily exposed to arsenic.
We recommend that you advise parents of the restrictions recommended by the APVMA and ask them to express their concern to their local members of parliament to ensure that industry complies with APVMA regulations and recommendations, in the interests of children's health and safety.
Suggested wording for an e-mail from schools and parents to governments:
Further to the continued use of CCA timbers in the construction of school gardens and structures in frequent contact by children, I/We request that Australian federal and state governments act urgently to enforce the regulations for CCA treated timbers that were recommended by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) in March 2005, and that each piece of CCA treated timber carry a label warning:
"Not permitted for use as garden furniture, picnic tables, exterior seating, children’s play equipment, patio and domestic decking, handrails, or school garden areas."
Should you have any further questions regarding the above don’t hesitate to contact BFA.
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BFA Organic School Gardens Program: Part Two now available
With the third school term now well and truly underway, the BFA is delighted to announce the launch of Part Two of the BFA Organic School Gardens Program. As the second stage in the three part program, part two sees the addition of information and activities focussing on organic garden management, improving soil health and saving water.
The lessons cover topics including:
Lesson 6: Protective clothing, planting in garden beds, crop rotation -
Lesson 7: Why plants need watering, water saving, mulch
Lesson 8: Caring for your garden, weeding, protecting plants from cold, heat and wind, Find-a-word puzzle
Lesson 9: Soil pH and its effect on plant growth
Recipes: a collection of 13 simple recipes for students
The recipes are an exciting new edition to the resources this term and provide the students with a chance to enjoy – and share – the fruits of their labours.
The lessons are now available to be downloaded FREE for all registered schools
- Registration is free and only takes a minute (follow the instructions at the bottom of this email)
Nominate your school to become the official face of the BFA Organic School Gardens program (+ $500 worth of gardening materials)!
At this year’s Organic Expo and Green show – BFA will be promoting the new program and we would love to use this opportunity to profile and promote your schools’ organic garden. We are looking for photos, testimonials, experiences and stories to display at the expo – and these submissions will then put your school in the running for the “Face of the BFA Organic School Gardens Program” competition, to be announced during National Organic Week 2010 (October 1 – 10). By submitting your photos and stories your school could be in the running to become Australia’s official face of the Program over the next six months plus receive a prize of $500 worth of gardening materials!
So, if you have pictures, testimonials or feedback on how you believe the program is benefiting your students, school community and environment, we look forward to hearing from you and your students! Photos, stories and feedback submitted by Wednesday August 4 will be used in promotional artwork to be displayed during the Organic Expo.
Please send any suitable photos, stories or comments to education@bfa.com.au, along with your school name and location and the name of the teacher or supervisor coordinating the project.
Come and visit Lyn Bagnall and the BFA team at Organic Expo 2010 (Sydney)
Meet the author of the BFA Organic School Gardens program (and author of the twice published “Easy Organic Gardening and Moon Planting”), Lyn Bagnall, at the Organic Expo and Green Show in Sydney from 21 – 22 August. Lyn will be available to answer all of your organic gardening questions from 12 noon on Saturday and Sunday at the BFA’s Organic Seed Planting area. BFA and the Organic School Gardens Program will once again be assisting with the Organic Kids Fun Zone, providing an area for children to plant their own organic vegetable seeds and learn how to take care of their own veggie pot! This is FREE for all visitors.
Lyn will also be appearing as a guest speaker at the event from 2.15 - 3.00pm on Saturday and Sunday – so come along to find out more about the program and ask any questions on implementing the program resources in your school or home.
Learn more at the BFA stand - number 31 at the show entrance - or the Kids Fun Zone, at the Organic Expo & Green Show 2010
2010 Organic Expo & Green Show
20 - 22 August 2010
Hall 1, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour
Still haven’t signed up for the program… Register now and take advantage of the benefits!
Hundreds of schools across Australia have now registered for the Program, the only such Australian program developed in accordance with organic standards and available FREE online. If your school has still not registered for the program it is still not to late. Please follow the link below to the home page and register by completing the registration form on the right hand side of the page. There is no cost to register and the benefits include free support and advice from leading organic gardening author Lyn Bagnall and access to free or discounted products and services. Lessons and supervisors notes are also freely available for download from the website.
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BFA Organic School Gardens Program – Available from today!!
Following an overwhelmingly positive response to our February survey from primary schools across Australia, Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) is delighted to announce the release of the much anticipated free Organic School Gardens program featuring practical and easy-to-use online resources and lesson plans.
From today, principals, teachers, parents and students across Australia are invited to visit the website to access the free lesson plans and materials by following the link below.
http://www.organicschools.com.au
The website provides a user-friendly two-part introduction outlining the basic requirements and preparatory steps to implementing the program including advice for adults on setting up beds, making compost, worm farming, a list of seed suppliers, and a basic equipment inventory. Five lessons are provided as part of the resource package and can be printed out into a reader-friendly format for use in the classroom. Complementing the lessons, step-by-step supervisor’s notes are included to help guide educators through each lesson of the program. A dedicated e-mail address is also available to provide supervisors with access to expert advice on any questions or problems they may have free of charge.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The program is designed for students aged 8 -12 years and provides written materials for lessons taking place both inside and outside the classroom written by the author of highly acclaimed and twice-published gardening guide “Easy Organic Gardening and Moon Planting”. Author of the guide, Lyn Bagnall, together with her husband, is a certified organic farmer based in NSW.
The program is being rolled out in three stages, the first being available now and next stages available for the next two school terms. It consists of a set of lessons and step-by-step guides on organic cultivation. Both the lesson material and a separate set of comprehensive notes for teachers and volunteers are available for download from the website.
The program covers:
• Nutrition and origins of food; seasonal foods (includes quiz)
• Planning your garden (suitable beds and containers, items to save for the project
e.g. egg cartons, PET bottles)
• How to build healthy soil (recycling through composting, worm farming, etc.)
• How plants grow (including photosynthesis, classroom experiments on seedling growth and how acidity or alkalinity of soil affects plant growth)
• Sowing seeds (includes sowing directly and into small containers and care of seedlings)
• Planting out seedlings (includes measuring plant spacing)
• Saving water in the garden (including the benefits of mulch and green manures)
• Garden friends and enemies (including organic methods of pest control)
• Saving seeds for future crops
• Enjoying the results – food produced, soil improvement, and benefits to the environment (includes simple recipes that children can try at home)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1) Does the program provide monetary support?
The program is a free resource and support in the form of advice is free of charge, however financial support is not provided for the building of gardens, purchasing equipment, or to fund teachers and supervisors. The program is designed to include the community involvement of parents and friends assisting with sourcing soil and building and maintaining the gardens as well as to help supervise children, if required, during outdoor lessons.
2) Will a teacher who is a novice gardener be able to follow the lessons for teaching the students?
Yes, the lessons are accompanied by notes for teachers and supervisors. The Introduction section of the program also provides basic advice for adults on setting up beds, making compost, worm farming, a list of seed suppliers, and a basic equipment inventory.
While these notes are designed to be sufficient for teaching this age group, detailed organic cultivation notes for individual fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs and flowering annuals, a perpetual monthly garden diary that advises what to sow, plant out and fertilise in each Australian climate range, plus further information on all subjects covered in the program can be found in “Easy Organic Gardening and Moon Planting”. This book was written to assist novice Australian gardeners to obtain the best from their gardens, at the same time providing a handy reference for more experienced gardeners. Copies of the book can be obtained from BFA head office.
3) How long are the lessons; how much time should be dedicated to the program each term?
The subjects covered in each lesson are designed for students to complete in a single school period each week, but schools should proceed through the lessons at a rate suitable to the comprehension level of their students, and their individual school situation. Naturally, seedlings and garden plants will require more than weekly attention for watering, etc.
SUPPORTED BY MISS MIRANDA KERR
BFA is delighted to announce that renowned supermodel and organic advocate Ms Miranda Kerr has lent her support, donating funds towards the program.
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BFA Organic School Gardening Program – available from April!
Thank you to all the schools that registered their interest in the new free resource - the BFA Organic School Gardening Program. Our survey sent last month received an overwhelmingly positive response from primary schools across Australia. Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) is delighted to announce the launch of the first stage of the program in mid-April in time for the second school term (second part of first term in Tasmania). The program will be rolled out gradually in 2010 – at the beginning of each school term this year.
BFA is happy to announce that internationally renowned supermodel and organic advocate Ms Miranda Kerr has lent her support for the program, donating funds towards the initiative.
In response to the large majority of survey responses, the program has been written and designed for students aged 8 to 12 years of age and features practical and easy-to-use resources and lesson plans covering topics including nutrition, how plants grow, photosynthesis, building healthy soil, recycling through composting and worm farming, sowing seeds, planting seedlings and green manures (includes practical mathematics), the importance of soil pH, saving water, crop rotation, caring for plants and the environment, organic methods of pest control and seed saving. In learning organic methods of gardening, students gain a better understanding of how their practices affect the environment, and how they can improve both soils and the quality of their food while working in harmony with the environment in Australia's sometimes harsh climate conditions.
The program is free of charge and provides written materials for lessons taking place both inside and outside the classroom written by the author of highly acclaimed and twice-published gardening guide “Easy Organic Gardening and Moon Planting”, Lyn Bagnall. Lyn Bagnall in addition to being an author, together with her husband, is a certified organic farmer based in NSW.
The program
For the second school term four lessons will be released. These lessons explain in simple language: good nutrition, planning a garden to grow food, how plants grow (seed germination, shoot and root growth, and photosynthesis), the living soil, composting and worm farming, and sowing seeds. Part of the information on photosynthesis includes some separate notes for older students. The first two lessons are not garden-based to allow schools the time to prepare the garden area, set up composting etc., and collect equipment.
April onwards is ideal for vegetable gardening in very warm parts of Australia, and warm enough for preparation, composting, and some cooler season crops in other areas. As primary schools commence their long summer break from between 10th and 17th of December, ideally, spring plantings are able to be timed so that crops are not reaching maturity during the summer holidays, and this allows the summer holidays to be used to grow a green manure crop requiring minimum maintenance.
Frequently asked questions:
How will I be advised that the program is available?
An email will be forwarded to you by mid-April advising that the program is available and a web link provided to download the free resources.
Does the program provide monetary support?
The program is a free resource and support in the form of advice is free of charge, however financial support is not provided for the building of gardens, purchasing equipment, or to fund teachers and supervisors. The program is designed to include the community involvement of parents and friends assisting with sourcing soil and building and maintaining the gardens as well as to help supervise children, if required, during outdoor lessons.
Will a teacher who is a novice gardener be able to follow the lessons for teaching the students?
Yes, the lessons are accompanied by notes for teachers and supervisors. The Introduction section of the program also provides basic advice for adults on setting up beds, making compost, worm farming, a list of seed suppliers, and a basic equipment inventory.
While these notes are designed to be sufficient for teaching this age group, detailed organic cultivation notes for individual fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs and flowering annuals, a perpetual monthly garden diary that advises what to sow, plant out and fertilise in each Australian climate range, plus further information on all subjects covered in the program can be found in “Easy Organic Gardening and Moon Planting”. This book was written to assist novice Australian gardeners to obtain the best from their gardens, at the same time providing a handy reference for more experienced gardeners. Copies of the book can be obtained from BFA head office.
How long are the lessons; how much time should be dedicated to the program each term?
The subjects covered in each lesson are designed for students to complete in a single school period each week, but schools should proceed through the lessons at a rate suitable to the comprehension level of their students, and their individual school situation. Naturally, seedlings and garden plants will require more than weekly attention for watering, etc.
If you would like further details about the program please email education@bfa.com.au or phone 07 3350 5716 ext 225.
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BFA Organic Gardening Program for Primary Schools
Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) would like to invite your school to participate in a free organic gardening program designed specifically for Australian school children. Gardening programs are being adopted in schools around the world as educators recognise the benefits to their students, and the relevance of these programs to other subjects in the school curriculum. School gardening provides practical applications for nutrition, mathematics, the sciences, the environment, social studies and design/art.
This program is the first of its kind being written according to the principles of the BFA’s Australian Organic Standard, being free of charge as well as including materials and activities for both inside and outside of the classroom. Some of the topics which will be covered include nutrition, sowing, protecting biodiversity, composition of healthy soil, organic methods of pest control and saving seed.
For more details about this program and the motivation for its development please see the proposal letter and survey attached.
If your school is interested in participating in BFA's free school gardening program, please complete the attached survey and return it to: education@bfa.com.au or fax 07 3350 5996 before 26th February 2010.
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