Cooking Healthy Veg Meals from Organic Veggies Grown at School are Students of a City Govt School

Cooking Healthy Veg Meals from Organic Veggies Grown at School are Students of a City Govt School

Cooking Healthy Veg Meals from Organic Veggies Grown at School are Students of DK Zilla Panchayat Government Higher Primary School, Bokkapatna-3,

Mangaluru: Being forced to eat and appreciate vegetables, especially the dreaded Karela (bitter gourd), is an extremely painful memory from my childhood. I still remember my mother would come up with myriad ways of concocting vegetable-based savouries, but they still remained an unwelcome taste to the palate. The situation is pretty much the same even now. The story remains the same for some children of this Coastal town whose mothers went through the same troubles to make their little ones consume nutrient-rich vegetables but with no tangible results. But then, suddenly, the tides of vegetable consumption amongst the younger populace changed for the better!

Seeing their children eat veggies at home made the parents wonder at the reason behind the miracle. And it was only later the parents found why. Their children were choosing to eat vegetables at home because during the Midday meals, their kids were being served veggies they had themselves grown at school, and the little ones were actually liking it! And these kids belong to the DK Zilla Panchayat Govt Higher Primary School, Bokkapatna, Mangaluru, where for the last few years have been growing organic vegetables in their school garden, with the help from their Headmistress and teachers- and they are all enjoying, as to what they are doing.

The same trend, has now been studied by the Department of Public Instruction, Government Schools and Private Companies, and outreach groups from Chennai and Bengaluru. It is learnt that now thousands of students from grade 6, 7 and 8 are actively involved in growing different varieties of vegetables in the backyard of their respective schools. The best part? The kids are not only having fun growing organic veggies and compost to the Midday Meal authorities, they are also changing their eating habits to healthier ones!

The vegetables are grown free of chemicals and pesticides and are 100 per cent natural. From sowing seeds to planting, school children actively take part in veg gardening methods. This low-cost veg garden model, has introduced students to environment-friendly practices, and at the same time, promises a brighter and healthier future. A vegetable garden is an excellent teaching resource and will provide great enjoyment and satisfaction to all involved. Food growing can teach children about soil, nutrition, science and life cycles of the vegetables and the creatures attracted to the garden. A vegetable plot can raise children’s awareness of the seasonal nature and the variety of food. A food growing project should be part of a school’s development plan with staff, pupils, parents and even local residents being involved. And that’s what is happening at this Bokkapatna School under the guidance of Headmistress Ms Magdalene D’souza and teachers.

So far, the garden come up in a portion of the school premises has hosted many visitors as part of study, which includes: Department Public Instruction, government schools and private companies, outreach group from Chennai and Bengaluru. Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Headmistress Magdalene D’souza said “The school kitchen garden is a cynosure because it is completely organic and no chemicals are used. The children studying at the school entirely take responsibility in looking after the garden throughout the year including on vacations. Those who visit, study about how it can be implemented in their campuses,”

“In our garden we have grown three varieties of eggplants, tomatoes, chillies, ridge gourd, spinach, lady finger (local variety), spinach (Basale in Kannada), long beans, beans and plantains. Only cow dung, manure prepared out of wet waste and organic manure donated by NGOs and outreach programmes are used in garden. Apart from students, at times garden is also looked after by volunteers from outreach programmes from corporate giants. The yield is exclusively used for preparation of midday meal. If there is any excess, same is sold locally. The money received is utilized for school developmental works and others. Currently there is a water supply issue in the campus. Students, who never want to see their garden going dry, are collecting all possible water available including waste water used for cleaning vessels and plates. Gardening will continue in vacations too and yield will be sold” added HM D’souza.

The school built in 1945, with class one to seven, has about 43 students, and also 20 Anganawadi kids. With four govt paid teachers, there are two honorary teachers who are paid from local funds, set up by donors and well-wishers. Most of the students are migrated from other parts of Karnataka, whose families work as day wage labours and have no formal education. HM Ms Magdalene, who has been serving this school for the last six years, has taken keen interest in the development and other activities of the school, and she says”I love what I do for the school and children”. Ms D’souza’s son who works in USA in a banking sector and her daughter, who serves in IT giant in Mangaluru, in order to help the school have donated several equipment for the garden and for the institution- and this has helped their mother in a big way, in few of the development work at the school.

And before, I left the school after a long discussion with HM, teachers and children, I was treated for a delicious meal, with specially prepared veg dishes from the organic veggies from the garden- and the taste was unbelievable- these children are not only Good Students but also Good Cooks,well-trained by HM and other teachers. No doubt when these student girls grow into adults and marry, their husbands will be the lucky ones to find their life partners, who really know how to cook real good food? Bon apetit!

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