Loganlea State High School is the first of many Logan schools to take part in The Mini Farm Project – a charity project designed to grow food for those in need.
Loganlea High’s mini farm is expected to have 66 sponsored garden beds and will be built on school grounds, with the aim to provide food for local charities including OzHarvest and Meals on Wheels.
Founder of The Mini Farm Project, Nick Steiner said the project will be the first of a number of urbans farms created in the Logan region.
“The plan is part of a greater Urban Farm and Food Forest Project and will be our first demonstration of what can be achieved across Logan schools for integrating urban farming into the culture and curriculum from prep to university,” he said.
“The project is partnered with City Studio and Griffith University, we aim to devise shared activities and curriculum between Year 10, 11 and 12 students at Loganlea High School and first year university students enrolled in Griffith’s Urban and Environmental Planning Degree.
“The students will learn everything about the farming process, from growing to packing, and donating the produce they grow. Hospitality students will also have the opportunity to use the fresh produce to cook with.”
Mr Steiner said charities are struggling to keep up with the high demand for food, so keeping things local will help.
“There are over 47,000 people in the Logan region who require daily food assistance, it is important that our region can access and distribute locally-grown food to those in need,” he said.
“Some of the students from these educational facilities are in need too, their families need help and others in their community, so we want to give them access to this produce as well.
“We really want to help resolve food insecurity and help charities at no cost, where we can.”
The Mini Farm Project started in 2014 from Mr Steiner’s own backyard. It then grew to a few urban farms around Brisbane.
“I wanted to do something community based, I was in a stressful job at the time and gardening was a big help for stress relief,” he said.
“I realised many charities were just giving those in need the basic foods and I wanted to do something more and provide more nutrient dense fresh food.
“These days, charity donations are getting smaller but the need for food is getting much larger – so we really had to think outside the box.”
Mr Steiner said the Loganlea High project is still in need of garden bed sponsors – 33 to be exact.
“We are having a fundraiser on Sunday August 28 at Devon Pixies, who is one of our supporters and we hope to partner with more local businesses, so we can hopefully start planting this spring,” he said.
To sponsor a garden bed or donate visit www.mfp.org.au.
