By Marina Gomide
TOOGOOLAWAH State High School (TSHS) has officially opened its new $40,000 greenhouse on April 4, providing agriculture students and the school with a safe spot to grow produce, including zucchini, pumpkin, lettuce, and broccoli.
The 20m x 10m structure was donated to the school through The Roy Alexander Scholarship Fund, by directors Bill and Norma Dale, with Barr Contracting carrying out the construction and, afterwards, Carbon Plus Compost donating the soil for the garden beds.
Bill and Norma, who have donated to various causes to encourage kids to work with agriculture over the years, said they chose the school after moving to the area and seeing the students’ crops getting destroyed by the livestock and rain.
“The first thing that glared out at us was that the kids had just done a lot of gardening and the animals had been in and destroyed it and I felt sorry for the little faces, because you get so excited when you’re growing something,” Norma said.
“We had a few years when we couldn’t do anything because of COVID and what we had put aside to spend in that time saved up and it was enough to do this.
“We want kids to realise there is a life on the land and this is the mountain.”
According to TSHS Principal, Ross Jardine, said the greenhouse is “fantastic”, helping the school grow produce in a safe space.
“It supports some of our sustainable goals and helps kids think about industries, because they would only see these greenhouses down at Gatton, but now they have they see in industry right here at the school,” he said.
“They feel valued and I think that’s really nice when kids feel invested in.”
Angela Lynch
Agriculture teacher, Mr Hardy Manser, pointed out the notable difference between the produce already growing in the greenhouse and the produce the students grow in their own little outdoor garden beds.
“What we plant now grows out into full plants, and the kids can see the difference between industry results and the loss of produce in the open field,” he said.
“They can see how hard real agriculture is and how investment in industry standard increases production.”
According to Mr Manser, who has seen a lot of these facilities throughout Queensland, said TSHS’s is “by far one of the biggest and best” in the state.
Another agriculture teacher, Angela Lynch, added the facility would help get students interested in agriculture and growing produce and plants, even if not as profession.
“It’s not only the kids who want to go off to a trade, but also the ones who might grow to enjoy the hobby,” she said.
