On Sunday 24th July, 2011, Seven Hills State School became the very first school in Brisbane and possibly the world to be Permablitzed, thanks to great networking between the School, Food Connect, Permablitz Brisbane and Northey Street City Farm.  It was an inspiring day of community coming together to create gardens that will provide a living, breathing outdoor classroom where the children and their families will learn-by-doing to grow their own healthy, nutritious, organic food, for countless years to come.

Over 100 people attended the Blitz and an incredible amount was achieved including the creation of a mandala garden, banana circle, path into the orchard, new compost bays, new vegetable beds (designed to accommodate whole classes of children at once), work in the Nature Trail and paving around Cluckingham Palace, home to the school’s chooks.

Highlights of the day included an amazing spread of delicious home-cooked food, garden-related arty activities for the kids, the beautiful cooperation between school families, barefoot farmers and the amazing and generous-spirited Permaculture/Permablitz volunteers, not to mention a Nia warm-up to get everyone ready for action.  We even had a surprise visit from Carolyn Nuttall – co-author of “Outdoor Classrooms”.  She was in awe of our community for attracting so many helpers.

Visit our gallery for lots of great photos from the day.

In 2009, Seven Hills SS launched the first ‘Adopt a Farmer’ program when the children officially adopted organic veggie farmers, Franco Cencig and Michael Pettitt.  The duo dubbed the ‘Barefoot Farmers’ have been visiting the school each fortnight since then to work with the children to teach them how to grow their own fresh produce.

For more info on Adopt a Farmer see :

http://brisbane.foodconnect.com.au/about-us/adopt-a-local-farmer-2009/

http://brisbane.foodconnect.com.au/about-us/adopt-a-local-farmer-2010/

http://brisbane.foodconnect.com.au/about-us/adopt-a-local-farmer-2011/

http://www.sevehillss.eq.edu.au/AdoptaFarmer.html

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adopt-A-Farmer-Seven-Hills/

In 2010, Permaculture Design Course students from Northey Street City Farm were invited to the school to come up with a Permaculture Design that made the best use of the space available to be a growing and changing outdoor classroom with the use of Permaculture Principles.  Their designs opened the door to Permablitz Brisbane scheduling a ‘Blitz’ to provide a lot of voluntary labour to work on the gardens. 

The children and the farmers have just sewn seeds for spring crops and harvested a bountiful crop of mushrooms (which came up from all the mushroom compost in the no-dig gardens) to sell to their families.  Franco said instead of teaching the kids ‘From Paddock to Plate’ he wants them to learn ‘From Seed to Sale’.  Watch this space for a Seven Hills Produce Market!  The Blitz has also inspired the School to expand their gardening program from Prep to Year 5. 

THANK YOU ONE AND ALL :
Michelle Morrissey, our Principal, who was the first to arrive and (nearly the last to leave) and who worked as hard as anyone!
Di Farmer, State MP for Bulimba, who put in a solid 2 hours work in the gardens, officially opened our Blitz, and donated to the cost of materials.
Dick Copeman – Northey Street City Farm.  I told Dick he has been officially adopted by the school – he has put in countless unpaid hours to design and consult on plans for the gardens, not to mention his superb coordination of planting and contouring the orchard on the day.
Ben Grubb from Permablitz Brisbane, who also put in countless unpaid hours networking, encouraging people to contribute, sourcing materials and guiding us on ‘how to’ achieve what we did at our Blitz.
Franco & Michael – what can I say!  You know what they do!!!
Nick Wilson – Charlie’s Dad, who masterfully took the simple designs of the wooden vegie beds and compost area and crafted them into something to be proud of (check out the exquisite ‘Permablitz’ plaque on the compost bays, made by Nick)
Glen Abbott – from ECO2 Farm Direct Timbers, who supplied the untreated hardwood, drove it down from Gympie, then came and spent the entire day volunteering at our Blitz – that’s amazing commitment!
Rolf Kuelson – from Beelarong Community Farm & Transition East who promoted the day, invited people from our local area, loaned  wheelbarrows and garden tools and worked like a Trojan on the day!
Wyan Carter & Melanie Crook – who designed and made the beautiful Mandala Garden (with a lot of help from their friends!)
Suz Barker – who made compost with Michael, and who filmed the day as part of a documentary (and who has already helped out in the gardens as an un-officially adopted barefoot farmer!)
Eris Jolly – who has been planting trees at our school for over 50 years and who gives of her time and passion every week to nurture the Nature Trail
Bob Hirst – who is part of a team that has built the inspiring Cluckingham Palace, and who coordinated paving at the Blitz.
Simone Nichols & Elaine Toledo – who coordinated the most divine food!
Jackie Viney, Katie Murray & Vanessa Jones – who entertained the kids with brilliant garden-inspired art activities.
Seven Hills SS Staff – what a tribute to our staff that they choose to come into school on their days off and put in such a huge effort … Thank you!!! Mr Bailey, Mrs Miller, Mrs Hanley, Mrs Rogers, Lisa Constable, Mademoiselle Roy, Mrs Whittaker
School families, Mums and Dads, Grandparents, Uncles and Aunties, Cousins, Kids – thank you one and all – you know who you are!  Every little thing that every person did, contributed to something huge. 
Seven Hills SS P&C – Thank you so much for having faith in what we’re doing and contributing $$ to buy materials for the gardens & the Blitz.
People from outside the school community – THANK YOU to the many, many permablitz enthusiasts and volunteers who came and contributed to transforming the gardens at Seven Hills State School.

DONATIONS
So much delicious food was donated, but special mention must be made of Jamie Whitlock & Brubecks.  Not only did Jamie work on tidying up the Cricket Nets, but he dropped off loads of yummy curries and rice as well.  And Sandy & Ben Place did the same!  Crusty Devil Bakery also donated loads of fresh bread and pastries – yum!
Compost Direct – donated 2 cubic metres of mushroom compost
The whole Adopt a Farmer program began thanks to the support of Food Connect. And finally, thank you to my beautiful family who give me so much support and time out to garden and Permablitz!

Ann Boon, Adopt a Farmer Coordinator