Cafe’s produce harvested with love

A Rockingham school is teaming up with a local cafe to bring fresh produce to the plates of the community.

Students at Hillman Primary School have spent the past 10 weeks planting, watering and nurturing a variety of crops, which they will now regularly sell to Kent Street Deli.

Hillman Primary School teacher Suzie Robertson said the students had enjoyed the process of watching seedlings grow into something they could actually eat.

“It’s called the Go Grow Team and it’s an after-school club with parents accompanying the children each week,” she said.

“We re-did all of the garden beds and have been growing lots of things, including zucchini, watermelons, strawberries, pumpkins, tomatoes, lettuce, beetroot and peas.

“The students have been really on-board and excited, helping out every week — watering and weeding and we’ve had some great results with our first crop.”

Head chef Shannon Whitmore said he was excited to be partnering with Hillman Primary School. “It’s about educating the students about fresh fruit and vegetables, and for them to see the produce being used,” he said.

“For us, it’s all about knowing where the produce is coming from and knowing that the students have put their heart and soul into growing it.”