Last Sunday, 8 June, our one-of-a-kind Biodynamic Agricultural Gardening educator led our annual composting workshop. As those who regularly attend Sandra’s workshops set in the stunning Middle Cove Garden, know, Sandra not only delivers the biodynamic and scientific how-to of compost, but the event is a feast for the heart, the eyes and the soul.
A big thank you to all the families from all three Glenaeon campuses, of all ages, from early childhood, primary, and high school classes for whole-heartedly participating in the ‘composing’ of a biodynamic vegetable garden bed. We created, or ‘composed’ a hügelkultur bed or, as we affectionately refer to it, a ‘hugel’ (little hill). Our entire beautiful hugel was made up of layers of wet, dry, fragrant and not-so-fragrant waste generated on campus!
It was such an act of love for all who pitched in to create the little hugel hill. What happiness we experienced in the meaningful tasks. We got busy with wheelbarrows, buckets, shovels, pitchforks full of earthy, mucky treasures, inter-layering with the most beautiful sheets of music from the campus recycle bin. Like a wedding cake, we “composed” a compost masterpiece! The children played in and out of the composters, contributing as much as they wanted, and the garden's industrious army of worms did a little happy dance of joy.
All those attending enjoyed a thoroughly educational dissertation on the merits of biodynamic preparations, which we added to compost. As an example, oak bark matured in a cows skull and left in water over winter - aka Preparation 505, which is said to help combat too much fungal activity - think wine matured in oak barrels, is added.
We enjoyed a healthy morning of physical exertion, knowledge-sharing conversation, and as always, our morning ended with our hearts and bellies full of love, laughter and good food! With an extra special thank you Year 3, Neive, for sharing the delicious cake she baked.
If you missed Sandra’s biodynamic workshop, upcoming workshops are announced on the Parent Education tab on Glo.