Working together is the key!
At CICD, the Garden Farm and Climate Centre is more than a space for growing vegetables – it’s a living classroom, a lab for sustainability, and a place where climate activists are learning by doing.
Organic food production
We didn’t produce tonnes of crops this year, but we did grow diversity, and that matters. Radishes, broad beans, lettuce, herbs like mint and parsley, and even fruits like plums, cherries, and strawberries made their way to the kitchen. The fruit harvest this year is very promising, and soon we will be having our own potatoes!
We saved money in food costs, which is also symbolic. Every pound saved represents a plate served from our soil, not from a supermarket shelf! Our small patch is helping to feed.
We are in the process of building coops for chickens and ducks, whose presence not only contributes with eggs and natural pest control but also teaches students about responsible animal care. We are also constructing a small pond for the ducks.
New achievements
- Compost station right outside the walls of the Walled Garden.
- Waste management initiative includes composting kitchen waste, producing biofertilizers, and reducing landfill impact. We are also experimenting with natural cleaners, herbal repellents, and other bio-products derived from our garden.
- Seasonal Learning Zones for students to explore hydroponics, aquaponics, seed saving, biodiversity keeping, natural pest control, and regenerative soil practices. We are also starting a Pollinator Path, lined with native bulbs and flowering herbs.
- 800 native wildflower seed bombs as part of a biodiversity restoration effort. These were distributed locally to promote pollinator health and rewilding.
Thursday Garden Actions
The weekly practical actions with all students, teachers and volunteers have become a weekly highlight. Here are some examples:
- We prepared and planted many big beds of potatoes
- We made lots of compost and organic fertilizer
- Seeds for many kinds of vegetables were planted in the greenhouse and then re-planted outside in the raised beds
- We planted seeds in the green house, then later planting the seedlings out in the raised beds
- We have been weeding and fighting the slugs (and repeat!) – we handled the slugs with ash barriers, chemical-free and fast
- Clean-up actions in the park around the school, including restoring the area around the big pond
Looking ahead…
Our vision is bold but achievable: We have a five-year plan to produce 80% of what we consume of vegetables, herbs, potatoes and eggs.
We want to have lots of chickens and ducks again! And a barn is already prepared for the sheep 😊 Change can be slow, but together we can make it!
