Stephanie and the Hon Kristy McBain visit Cobargo Public School

School visits are back and Stephanie Alexander recently travelled to Cobargo Public School, north of Bega, NSW. Foundation Project and Support Manager Natasha Grogan tells us about the day. 

On Tuesday 16 August Stephanie Alexander and I visited Cobargo Public school in regional NSW. It was Stephanie’s first visit to a school in over two years due to the pandemic. As we pulled up, with the glorious backdrop of rolling hills, we could feel the anticipation and excitement. Little faces peeked through the windows as children busied themselves near the entrance.

We were there to celebrate the Program and introduce pleasurable food education to Eden-Monaro MP and Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories of Australia, Hon Kristy McBain. 

Our morning began with the school captains and Grade 5/6 students sharing their experience of the Kitchen Garden Program. The children all raised their hands enthusiastically when asked if they enjoyed the program. All hands shot up again when asked if they had tried the recipes at home, and almost all hands went up when asked if they had cooked a meal for their families after learning the skills in their kitchen sessions. 

Students from Cobargo Public School with Hon Kristy McBain and Stephanie Alexander

We then went into the kitchen where Grade 3 and 4 children were busily mixing, sifting and stirring the meal for the day. On the menu was a delicious spread of lemon myrtle tea, feta and silverbeet muffins, and rhubarb yoghurt and honey cups. Stephanie quickly rolled up her sleeves to help, sharing her wisdom with the children. She said that this was a mini science lesson as the learned they needed a bigger surface area to cool the stewed rhubarb. Adults and students alike listened keenly to her advice. 

We then went for a wander through the new indigenous garden, complete with gymea lily, lilly pilly and midgen berry to name just a few. There was even a Wollemi pine gifted by Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens. After a visit to the vegetable garden with leeks, broccoli, spinach and rhubarb, we wandered down to the table where the children had prepared our places with grevillea displayed in the middle. Our meal was served, and as we sat, we chatted with the children and Kristy. We talked about the meal, our favourite things to grow, and how important this program is for Australian children – to teach them to connect with their food, where it comes from, how it is grown and how it is prepared.

Stephanie looked around the table at the children enjoying their feta and silverbeet muffins with a small garden salad on the side and said “I have missed it. It gives me goosebumps. This is why we do it.”

As we walked up the pathway to head back to our cars, a child chased down Stephanie and grabbed her by the arm. “Thank you for creating the Program," she said. "It is my favourite thing to do at school.” It was my turn for goosebumps.