Term 3 - When Ideas Come True

Term three has been full of excitement as we planned, organised, and established an orchard with a total of forty fruit trees! What an amazing opportunity and initiative from the school to achieve such a goal. In the years to come, the school will be able to provide fruit for students and share it with the community.

We began by planning the orchard, involving the tamariki in a Google slideshow. There was so much to learn, from how long it will take for the trees to bear fruit to the best planting positions, taking into account space, sun, and wind. Afterward, we walked to the area where the students selected a variety of fruit tree and positioned themselves in the perfect spot for planting.

The following week, we started digging the holes. We were fortunate to have Les, our caretaker, help by using a hole borer. The tamariki were thrilled to watch the drill in action. However, we still needed to get hands-on, scraping the sides of the holes to make them square and large enough. The tamariki were determined and worked so hard—forty holes are a lot to dig!

With the hard work done, I organised the fruit trees. We were lucky to receive support from Palmers in Bethlehem and Tropicana Garden World, who provided a range of fruit tree varieties. With a trailer loaded, the tamariki helped unload the trees and stored them safely until planting day. Each tree was donated by a family from the school community, leaving a lasting legacy at the school.

The Planting Day:
We were blessed with beautiful weather, and the school organised a wonderful ceremony. Parents were invited to plant their donated tree alongside their child, and a priest blessed the orchard and each tree for strength and growth. Mr. Mills, the principal, also gave a speech. The family with the youngest and the oldest child began planting, followed by the other families. We used fresh compost to mix into the holes before planting and added mulch around the trees. The tamariki then watered their own trees with watering cans.

In the following weeks, it felt as though the orchard grove had always been there. The trees settled in well, and we ensured they were watered regularly. We also scattered flower seeds around the orchard to attract bees. It was heartwarming to see the tamariki proudly showing their special trees to friends and visiting them during morning tea.

While the orchard project kept us busy, the school garden continued to thrive. We were pleasantly surprised at the end of term three with big broccoli heads, huge beetroots, and picture-perfect radishes. We also planted seed potatoes and started sprouting kumara in a water bath, which the year three and four classes carefully tended to. The kumara tipu has already grown so much!