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Hi again!

 
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feathersandfibre



Joined: 25 Dec 2013
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 14 7:19 am    Post subject: Hi again! Reply with quote
    

Bit back to front really I've already posted elsewhere but plan on making myself at home here again if that's ok so thought I'd say hello properly. I'm not altogether new I've been here before a few years ago as pigs and poultry when we had our little small holding. We had to sell up and move to a nearby town due to financial reasons which I found really hard and I began to train as a teacher to give us more stability. I popped in again then hoping to find a new version of a downsizery life in the town but I found training and most of my first year teaching quite overwhelming so vanished again!

Alas I am back again. I am feeling much more in control as a teacher now and am excited at the possibilities my school environment provides. We have a new, and currently largely unused by anyone but me and my class, school garden. Next term I am hatching some chicks with the children and plan on pinching a few for the garden at home and keeping a few at school. The rest are going to a local farmer who agreed to take them. There is a wild life area with a sludge pit for a pond that I'm planning to clear out and make better use of and we are going to sow some wildflower seeds to attract the bees and butterflies. We are also going to start planting herbs, fruit and vegetables and maybe some more sensory planting too, there's nothing I there but nettles at the moment. At the moment my class (reception) have one day a week spend entirely in the garden but I am considering setting up a garden club and opening it up to the rest of the school and perhaps making it into a bit more of a business which may raise a bit of pocket money for us. We are a very rural school and I think could sell eggs and maybe chicks, plants, cuttings, seeds, things like greetings cards made with pressed flowers, make paper impregnated with seeds etc. the older children could control the finances then. I'm planning to start things off with name the chick competition and asking for egg related recipes, the best of which will be published in a recipe book and sold. This is to raise money for a plastic chicken house. Anyway will see how things go but I don't think anyone else is going to embrace the garden and if I'm going to spend all hours at school I might as well spend some of it doing things I enjoy!

At home we are still working on redecorating and restoring elements of our victorian terrace but this is a verrrry slow job due to finances. Next job is windows and the savings pot is a way off for them yet! Tomorrow we are spending the day clearing an area for a proper veg plot and space for the new chickens. It's a small garden though and we still need space for the small one to play and the dogs to do their thing so we will be juggling with the space a bit.

Feeling very positive and excited about things at the moment. Looking forward to being part of a community here again with some like minded folk. I see to struggle to find any of those in this version of my life other than parents at school but obviously no great friendships can be struck up there.

Right shutting up now I promise

Lorrainelovesplants



Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 14 7:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

sounds exciting!
Im doing a new job as family learning tutor (as well as the other smallholdery stuff and cider making). Im looking at involving primary school parents (and kids) in outdoorsy projects too - insect hotel making, growing veg, maybe juice extracting the autumn. My problem is having weather un-dependent activities.

feathersandfibre



Joined: 25 Dec 2013
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 14 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes the weather can rather scupper things One of the things I'd like to raise money for is some waterproof trousers and jackets for my lot so we can stay out in all but the worst weather. We do have a wooden gazebo structure - the outdoor classroom, which helps a bit too. I might need to convince my ta that they (and we) won't melt if we are out I the rain though! What about a pop up gazebo or something for the showery days so you aren't completely rained off.

Lorrainelovesplants



Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 14 2:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

might be worth mentioning actually - for the copst of it , it could be reused again and again.

Ive got to think of 8 themed 2.l5 hr sessions...

NorthernMonkeyGirl



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4584
Location: Peeping over your shoulder
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 14 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hello!
Sounds like an amazing plan, good luck! If you need seeds or something to get started I'm sure a few of us could send you some spares

feathersandfibre



Joined: 25 Dec 2013
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 14 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Ooh now that's given me an idea, perhaps starting a blog with the children might be a good idea and getting parents and maybe local businesses or even other schools doing similar things involved that way. Then we could perhaps get donations of time, seeds, equipment etc and maybe organise seed swaps etc later in the year.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 14 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 14 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hello and welcome.

12Bore



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey
PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 14 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Welcome home!

Ginkotree



Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 2956
Location: south west wales
PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 14 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds really exciting and very positive..hope your ideas grow as well as your garden.

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