Carterton’s Challenge Shield competition celebrates school garden plots

Tuturumuri School pupils proudly display the School Gardening Challenge Shield Trophy and the certificate recognising their first place in this resurrected competition.  A $500 cheque was also awarded to John Bunny, Grandson of one of the original donors of the trophy. Tuturumuri School was the smallest country school in the competition in remote Wairarapa located on the southern coastal area of the North Island of NZ.

 

The Rotary Club of Carterton was delighted to resurrect their long forgotten Challenge Shield.  This trophy which celebrates school garden plots was last awarded 50 years ago.  The shield originally presented in 1906 by W.C. Buchannan and H.R. Bunny was awarded annually for the best agricultural plot in any school in the South Wairarapa.  It was first awarded to Gladstone School in 1906 and then every year until 1964 when it was won by Clareville School.  It appears that it was then placed in a cupboard and forgotten!

Nearly 50 year club member Coral Aitchison met with the principals of the South Wairarapa schools to resurrect the shield competition.  13 schools competed for the challenge shield, and at the outset were given garden starter packs by the local Clareville Nursery and Garden Centre.

During the period of the competition, a Rotarian adopted a school and made visits to provide support and encouragement.  In April this year the gardens were judged on design and plan of their individual garden, the individual plants chosen and the students’ knowledge of different plants.

The effort put in by the 13 schools was amazing with well-planned and innovative gardens – one school sold vegetables to locals and another produced “worm wine” from their worm farm.  The winning school in 2014 was Tuturumuri School with a roll of only 16 students. Every student at that school is involved with their amazing garden. The trophy was presented by John Bunny, grandson of J.C. Bunny, one of the original donors.  John is also a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Masterton South.

This was a fabulous opportunity to support schools in teaching students about gardening with the roll-on effects of healthy eating, physical activity and environmental awareness.  It is planned that this competition will again become an annual event.

 

Web: www.carterton.rotarysouthpacific.org