The spring bloom found Minerva Secondary School miles ahead with greening through its impeccable and state-of-the-art perma-culture garden.
The garden which is in a limited space is a marvel to watch and a conviction that size doesn’t matter where there is a will and determination. It has water tanks, sprinkler and produces, has a biogas system that produces organic fertiliser and together with a solar power system, heats up stoves for the school’s feeding scheme. The initiative has been operating for over a decade and was established by greening NPO, Trees For Africa, and is sponsored by engineering company Cummings.
Teacher in charge Lennox Mashigo said,” The garden complements the feeding with organic vegetables and herbs cooked by using biogas from methane from decomposing waste and solar power which have replaced costly gas cylinders. “It’s also a learning ground for environmental, life science and tourism studies for Grade 10 pupils who have maintained it over the years.”
The waste from the kitchen, he added, is broken down in a digester and fed into a gas-making container and then a cylinder which converts it into power and the waste mixed with decomposed waste turned into manure used to nourish the organic plants with essential iron. “Small spaces can also be productive when used intensively and managed well,” Mashigo said in reference to the terraced beds where plants grow on top and on the side and fruit trees are dotted around. He said they choose organic foods for health reasons and to avoid chemicals which destroy the natural fertility of the soil.
They planted spinach, cabbage, lettuce, green pepper, onion, tomatoes, herbs of parsley, rocket, rosemary, coriander and mint watered by sprinklers using rainwater conserved in Jojo tanks. “The water is also shared with toilets whenever there is a problem to avoid dismissing children from school early.” Moisture on the beds is further conserved with grass cover which converts to nutritious mulch for the plants.
Mashigo said the main challenge has been rats which destroyed the wooden kitchen – which has since been replaced with galvanised equipment – and the residents poisoning owls which fed on the rats, presumably to get rid of them as they are associated with witchcraft.
He commended the sponsors and the parent who brought them Grade 10s for their passion, school caretakers for maintaining the garden in school holidays and weekends, other learners and teachers for a sideline recycling project which supplies waste for composting and parents for cooking. “We are also encouraged by some pupils who take seeds to plant at home.”
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