Slow Food Sydney’s second Edible Schoolyard project is just about ready to become reality.  Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School in Redfern has now approved the garden designs by Patio Landscape Architecture and Design - a big thanks to Patio for their collaboration on this.

Working with Patio, we have now drawn up the lists of plants, and we’re hoping to begin construction on the garden some time in late September.  We will then work with the school to get the garden planted out, and we expect a bumper harvest by the end of the school year.

The Crown Street Primary School Edible Schoolyard continues to be very busy.  We’ve been lucky to receive kitchen equipment from Chris of Chef’s Warehouse, which is just round the corner from the school. The school has been running a weekly gardening and cooking class, entirely driven by the enthusiasm and time of volunteers.

The program is still looking for local residents who would be interested in helping.  The garden and kitchen class runs with one supervisor/teacher and two volunteers, from 11am til 12 on Fridays. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Syd Pemberton at Slow Food Sydney.

We are also keen to hear from anyone who is willing to sponsor equipment, produce, or dry store goods for the classes.

In late March, the students at Crown Street took their Edible Schoolyard into the kitchen.  Starting with a capsicum harvest, students learned to make stuffed capsicums, and best of all, got to eat the fruits of their labour.

We’ve posted some photos to give you a taste!

by Syd Pemberton

Here’s the recipe we used for the Crown Street Edible Schoolyard launch on February 10.

600g zucchini
100g parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
1 tbs chopped fresh dill leaves
1 tbs chopped fresh mint leaves
4 large organic eggs
Salt and ground black pepper to season
50g dried breadcrumbs (toasted fresh ones)
100g self-raising flour
6-8 cherry tomatoes

Pre-heat the oven to 180degC

Line the base and sides of a 27 x 17 x 3 deep baking dish with non-stick baking paper

Coarsely grate the zucchini into a large mixing bowl.  Finely grate the parmesan cheese and stir into the zucchini with the chopped herbs and mix well. Break the eggs into a bowl and gently whisk, season with salt and pepper.  Stir into the zucchini mixture.  Carefully fold in the flour and bread crumbs to mix until combined.  Pour into the baking dish. Smooth over the top.

Cut the tomatoes in half and press into the top to decorate.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until firm.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin.  Refrigerate until just before serving.

Cut into squares and serve at room temperature.

February 10 dawned rather soggy and wet, but the official opening of the Crown Street Public School edible schoolyard forged ahead anyway - in the very crowded school hall, rather than the garden.

Clover Moore, the Mayor of the City of Sydney, officially opened the garden, following a welcome by the school captains and an entirely undampened rendition of the school song.

Ms Moore also presented a further cheque for $5000 to the school, another grant to extend the facilities and storage area of the edible garden.

The school captains presented a basket of freshly-picked produce to Ms Moore.  The Principal, John Croker, thanked the parents and Slow Food Sydney for all the hard work that had gone into the garden.

Mr Croker was interviewed on 2BL’s ‘Mornings’ programme by Deborah Cameron about the garden, and promised to provide a jar of marmalade from the citrus tree planted next to one of the vegetable patches.

After the opening, the attendees were treated to a tour of the playground and the garden beds. Highlights were the pumpkin patch, corn and sunflower beds, melon beds and the very abundant vegetable garden.  The children helped serve a morning tea, with food prepared by parents and members of Slow Food Sydney.  We’ve included the recipe for Celebration Zucchini Slice here.  With almost 200 school children, their teachers, several parents, and the special guests from the City of Sydney, the zucchini slice and fresh herb muffins didn’t last long, but were appreciated by all.

The following Monday we received this update from Sarah, one of the Crown Street parents:

“I have just been up to the school to check on the garden. We have lost a couple of sunflowers due to the wind and rain.

“I managed a huge harvest of basil, silverbeet and picked three eggplants.  I was on my way home to make up a big batch of pesto to give to the garden helpers when I dropped into Hudsons. When they saw the healthy crop they were keen to sell it for us!”

We’re very excited to be part of this small food community!

Syd Pemberton, Slow Food Sydney’s Edible Schoolyards leader, has applied for a second starter grant, so we’re now looking for another local school to bring on board.  For this next edible schoolyard, we’d like to match a chef with the school to encourage the children to trade gardening tools for kitchen utensils.

We’ll announce in the next newsletter which school has been selected.  In the meantime, if you are a chef, or have experience in gardening, horticulture or permaculture and would like to get involved, please email us!