Margaret River kitchen garden teaches children benefits of cultivating food paddock to plate

A community garden is helping to teach these West Australian schoolchildren the social, economic and health benefits of cultivating food from paddock to plate.

The program sees the children plant, grow, pick and cook produce grown at their own school garden at Margaret River Primary in south-west WA.

Program coordinator Geoff McLeod said the initiative had helped to engage students in real-world, hands-on learning.

"Problems are posed, and they have to come up with solutions, and it's very good for them, their wellbeing overall."

He said cooking and picking the produce had helped students broaden their culinary horizons.

"They now will eat some of the food that they've never been exposed to before or they just simply thought it was not for them," he said.

Program coordinator Geoff McLeod said he has formed strong friendships with community members through the kitchen garden(

ABC South West WA: Zac Bruce

)

Honesty stall imparts life lessons

The program's garden specialist Terri Sharpe said the left-over produce was sold at the school's honesty stall to reduce waste and the money was invested back into the program.

Ms Sharpe said the stall created a point of contact with the community and sparked conversations with students about giving back.

Proceeds from the Margaret River Kitchen Garden's 'honesty stall' help fund the program(

Supplied: Margaret River Primary School

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"At the very start when we set it up one of the kids said to me: 'What if the people don't pay, what if they steal?'" Ms Sharpe said.

"So we sat them down as a group and we talked about why that might happen.

Ms Sharpe said students' involvement in every stage of the process had given them a strong sense of ownership over the program, with many volunteering to help in the garden during lunch and recess.

Terri Sharpe said students have a strong sense of ownership over the program(

ABC South West WA: Zac Bruce

)

Helping disadvantaged access quality food

Despite Margaret River's popularity as a tourist destination with world-class wineries and restaurants, the town has a hidden low-socio-economic population.

The program's kitchen specialist Jodi Hunter said the garden had helped provide fresh, nourishing meals for some children at school and at home.

Kitchen specialist Jodi Hunter said many students are willing to try food they've never eaten at home(

ABC South West WA: Zac Bruce

)

"So [some of] these kids probably aren't eating great food [at home]. They're eating cheap food.

"For them to be able to cook something in here is really important."

Many students volunteer to help out in the kitchen and garden at recess and lunch(

Supplied: Margaret River Primary School

)

Community donations for garden

Local businesses have also chipped in over the years, donating tools and materials and money to the thriving initiative.

Kitchen Garden coordinator Geoff McLeod said community support was crucial to keeping the program alive.