STUDENTS of all ages at Boyanup Primary School are actively involved in the planning, planting, maintenance, picking and eating of the vegetables in what is now an extensive and thriving garden.
Last week saw the installation of two greenhouses in the grounds - much to the relief of year one teacher Marion Lewis.
"We have been participating in the Waste Wise Schools Project and decided to order the greenhouses in time to plant the vegetable seeds before the winter season," she said.
"Despite the best efforts from the school gardener and many parents, we just couldn't successfully put together the greenhouse kits."
Mrs Lewis said after someone identified parts were missing, contact was made with the Perth distributers.
"The company sent a representative from Perth and fixed the problem," she said. "Now we can swing into action and start our planting, which has proved to be a popular and effective way to promote environmental and sustainability learning and at the same time, connect children with healthy food and lifestyles."
Vegetables from the school garden are being used by the canteen and other community groups, with surplus produce being sold to families and visitors on assembly days.
The school's latest environmental project highlights the awareness of recycling and avoidance of excess rubbish into bins. Ideas include encouragement to parents to purchase a lunch wallet for each child, thereby saving the use of paper wrappings, with Mondays of each week being a 'no bin day' at the school.
Another initiative is using recycled paper for the manufacture of firebricks in the summer months, which are then sold during winter.
For several years the school has been collecting cans, tabs, batteries and stamps.
Previous Waste Wise grants to the school allowed further development of the garden and the setting up of worm farms.
The Waste Wise Schools Program offers resources and support for schools to plan, implement and maintain waste minimising projects such as recycling, composting and worm farming.
The program helps schools to set up infrastructure and provides resources aimed at changing attitudes and behaviour in regard to sustainable waste management.