Term 1 2026 at Te Manawa o Pāpāmoa

What a fantastic start to the year we've had in the school garden at Te Manawa o Pāpāmoa! With the warmth of summer, the gardens were overflowing with fresh produce, giving students plenty of opportunities to harvest, taste, and learn.

One of the highlights for every group was picking and eating fresh cucumbers straight from the garden. Many students discovered just how delicious they are with a sprinkle of salt! Some groups also enjoyed harvesting and tasting sweet cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil, crunchy carrots, and even fresh figs. There's something special about eating food you've helped to grow, and it was wonderful to see so many students willing to try new flavours.

As summer began to wind down, we turned our attention to preparing the gardens for the seasons ahead. Te Arawa students worked hard weeding the butterfly garden before laying cardboard and compost to improve the soil and suppress weeds. We then sowed flower seeds that will provide beautiful colour while attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Looking ahead to winter, we sowed our first round of cool-season vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi. Students learned about seasonal growing and why different vegetables thrive at different times of the year.

Part of gardening is knowing when to say goodbye to plants that have finished producing. We removed spent summer crops, added them to the compost, and prepared the beds with cover crops ready for winter and spring planting. This gave us a great opportunity to learn about composting, soil health, and the importance of returning nutrients back to the earth.

One of the biggest harvests of the term was our kūmara crop. Students enthusiastically dug up the kūmara and helped weigh the harvest, celebrating the results of months of care and patience.

We were also fortunate to have more produce than we could use ourselves. Surplus vegetables, including zucchini and kamo kamo, were donated to our pātaka kai, ensuring fresh, healthy food could be shared with members of our wider community. This was a wonderful reminder that gardening isn't just about growing food—it's also about generosity, connection, and caring for others.

We're incredibly proud of everything our students achieved this term. From planting and harvesting to composting and giving back, every garden session provided valuable hands-on learning experiences that built confidence, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for where our food comes from.

We can't wait to see what the winter garden brings next term!