Thank you to the 14 families who joined us on a rainy-sunny day for such productive fun for all ages. We had a lively welcome circle with reindeer and puppies even joining us in imagination. A charging ‘come butter come’ song we sang while shaking pure cream in a couple of large jars that went around our 30-ish participant circle and we danced while making that cream into butter.  While many participants chopped the colourful vegetables they brought to make a ‘Stone Soup’ wit

Our 2nd Family Friday Gardening on 6th March was a joyous sunny day  with 21 families participating in a celebration of International Womans’ Day.  With an invitation to create a present for a woman in their lives whom they love: herbs to preserve and to plant were introduced!  Children were delighted to find sparkles on the ground that indicated we celebrate our collaborative efforts. The Calistamon (bottle brush) trees were full of red blossoms that we stroked to harvest th

We launched our Family gardening Fridays in the pouring rain with 15 families greeted with a passionfruit marigold herbal hand wash ceremony (Sandra learned while teaching in Vietnam in 2024). Cups of lemon verbena tea were available for all participants to drink upon entry.  Tables with books to look at and comfortable chairs. A hanging chair for children’s play.  After a welcoming circle acknowledging our beautiful world and each other, our hostess Tian Mao led us into an e

Biodynamic Gardening with Children from ‘Birth to Seven Years’ Sharing gardens and all of nature is an opportunity for we teachers to inspire and support the healthful relationship that our children deserve to be the vital ‘Stewards of the Earth’ with us.    It is a ‘birthright’ to connect with what all the cultures in the world refer to as ‘Mother Earth’! We adults/ teachers have a responsibility to mediate between the children we care for and the natural world. We are the ‘

The Garden team’s vision is for everyone to experience the biodynamic garden as a place of wellbeing, where they are welcome to relax - whether or not they are engaged in garden work!  The garden offers a calm environment within our busy days for those who need it. A hammock next to the water garden invites us to swing in the breeze and find an equilibrium, while stumps and benches are available for sitting quietly or gathering to share observations and musings. The flock of

Pests in the garden? (Part 1) The healthier our immune systems, the less vulnerable we are to illnesses. And it’s the same with plants. Students are used to grinding rocks in gardening lessons (and playtime too!). Rocks are made of compacted minerals and when ground and spread onto garden beds, they give good mineral access to plants. The minerals strengthen the soil, which makes the plants healthier and less vulnerable to pests. Children love grinding rocks to sprinkle ar

A story of  granny and her grandaughter in the garden of life

www.biodynamics.net.au Article published in News Leaf Spring 2024 Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

An Oasis in the garden  The new water garden is coming to life in the biodynamic garden. The idea for this came out of our 'water wise' conservation concerns: there are abundant ‘overstory’ trees, yet we need to run an irrigation system for around 100 days a year.  Sandra Frain and her team wanted to provide more natural water as moisture for the cultivated plants and animal life, to help the garden be more self-sufficient in the many times it needs to be untended. With a gif

Meaningful learning and wellbeing in the garden Students have been involved in the process of sculpting the landscape for our new Water Garden: from visioning and planning, disassembling old garden beds, re-using what was there, creating something new to care for, share and enjoy. Of course they have been developing these construction skills from before Preschool and Kindergarten stages. In addition to the housekeeping of caring for their classrooms and the garden spaces, the

May 2023 Thunder heard in the distance didn't stop the sun shining on a recent Saturday morning, as around 50 people gathered in the biodynamic garden - eager to get their hands dirty and have fun learning about soil creation aka composting.  Adults and children alike had a wonderful experience together with the wise and energetic guidance of Sandra Frain. The purpose of this gardening workshop was “composing compost” by working and learning together to create soil through bu