The KidFarmer program development is currently attracting significant interest from kids, parents, teachers and OOSH program organisers. Want to know more?….. have a read of the following to get an idea of just some of the activities the kids will be able to get involved in…
- Market Garden – The kids take charge of managing a section of the garden to plant it out with vegetable seeds and flowers. Preparation includes, making compost, rolling out the irrigation lines, planning how many metres of each variety to plant and which location is best for companion planting then go out and plant the seeds in teams. One of the great joys for the kids in being part of this is seeing the plants growing with each visit to the farm and using them in the cooking activities.
- Scarecrow Making – With all materials at hand including a stick frame, straw, string and old clothes, this provides an opportunity to bring scarecrows to life. Features a competition for the best dressed and the best design. The series of scarecrows are displayed all around the gardens and at the front of the farm.
- Animal Life – includes learning all about chickens, guinea pigs, sheep, ducks, turkeys, guinea fowl, cows. (And soon to be pigs and milking cow). Participants can hold the smaller animals, help to feed them, replenish straw in their areas, get involved in their ‘produce’ (wool, eggs, milk, feathers and manure for composting)
- Cooking – includes a group baking event whereby participants prepare, make, cook then eat their wood fired produce. Ingredients come from the farm and include harvesting and all preparation. Events are focussed on making scones, muffins, small pizzas etc. Future cooking events focus on preparing and eating produce grown in the KidFarmer gardens.
- Tree Planting – Plant out the ‘Kidfarmer Forest’ Where each child creates a wooden plaque with their name and a wish, then plants a forest tree and marks the tree with their name so that they can then come back regularly and see it growing. Alternately, children can choose to plant fruit trees whereby in exchange for the cost of buying and planting the tree, the child receives organic fresh food they can take home to cook with their parents.
- Nature Walk and Discovery – Walk to the Orara River and enjoy lunch on the riverbank then take time exploring along the river under the trees. There is lots to enjoy, including swimming, skimming rocks along the water, spotting water dragons, finding birds nests, plucking cicada shells from the trees, seeing old bones and finding smooth wood washed clean by the river as well as lots of other imaginative games created in a natural setting.
- Craft – using natural materials like our bamboo, clay, wood, grasses. Enjoy painting in an outdoor environment, building bird nesting boxes, make a sundial, make a wish to hang on the wishing tree, collect natural materials for collage design. There is always something new that can come out of combining materials and textures.
- Farm Yoga – especially for kids to get them stretching and moving their bodies. Includes showing them how to help each other stretch and doing a shoulder massage for the person next to them. Also includes learning techniques to go home and use on their parents
