While students of most city schools learn the bit of farming within the four walls of a classroom, students of Marudhamalai Devasthanam Higher Secondary School, Vadavalli, went a step ahead and created a small organic farm at the school to meet their needs.
Produces
Started in June, the students cultivate spinach, tomato, ladies finger, pumpkin, bottle guard, coriander and lettuce among others in the organic vegetable garden. They do mixed cropping and crop rotation to retain the fertility of the soil.
Produces of the vegetable garden are used to provide lunch for the students. There has been days when students were able to take home their produces too.
C. Selvakumari, assistant headmaster of the school, feels proud of the garden and bestows full credit to the students.
The idea of School Students Garden was kick-started by T. Ganesh Moortthy, Chief Education Officer, and S. Vanaja, District Education Officer, through S. Logambal, District Eco Co-ordinator of Department of School Education.
According to Ms. Logambal, their goal is to teach the students the natural way of farming by using pest-free fertilizers.
Now School Students Gardens have been created in several schools under six units in Coimbatore.
Basics
Thangavelu, an organic farmer, plays a prominent role in the endeavours of the students by teaching them the basics of farming. Motivating the students, he also provides them with organic seeds free of cost.
Sharing their experience, the students said that the farming taught them the hardships of farmers and motivated them to contribute their part to society. They are so rejuvenated by the experience that most of them have decided to follow organic farming in future.
The school management is planning to extend the motto of organic farming in to large scale.
