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Friday, August 26, 2011

Rimu school orchard

I spent the middle of the day working with a team of 10 year-old's at Rimu school, planting out apple trees beside the school hall. Our Open Orchard project donated the trees (and my time) to the school, because...
one of the school's students offered a suggestion to a wealthy businessman in Invercargill who was looking for a good idea for a section he owned that had become vacant (gang house burned down, the usual...) Breigh wrote to him describing the values of a community orchard. Our businessman liked the idea, awarded her the cash prize but didn't go ahead with the orchard idea. We thought it still deserved to become real, so we donated the trees and Breigh's school provided the space for the orchard. Today therefore, was planting day.
Here are Breigh and her friend, two of the team of eight who dug, planted and pruned. The local newspapers had reporters there, so there'll be a follow up to this post, I'm sure.


2 comments:

fredinthegrass said...

Makes a change from politics, Rg.
Sorry, that was rather flippant.
It is so encouraging to see the young being supported in these endeavours. At our local Forest and Bird we get a real kick out of the enthusiasm of school kids and often the teachers when we support planting adventures. Our group try to keep it going as the young grow up and new ones come in.

robertguyton said...

In truth Fred, my days are filled with this kind of activity, rather than anything political. Yesterday for example, I was busy demonstrating pruning and planting to 100+ children at the regional Enviroschools hui at Limehills. That was very interesting, as the students there were especially interested in all aspects of sustainability and earthy things. I pruned the schools fruit trees too - long over due they were and getting gangly. Gangly no more!
I'm delighted to hear that you twig and tweet.