Katie Earle started Bush Farm School on Banks Peninsula because she is passionate about sustainability and wants children to be more resilient and resourceful. The primary school teacher has teamed up with Banks Peninsula sheep farmer Stella Bauer to develop a hands-on farm programme that gets five to 12-year-olds out of the classroom and understanding where their food and fibre come from. Most of the children have never been on a farm before and Earle thinks education needs to change to accommodate more land-based teaching. After feeding grain to a mob of 400 sheep, the boisterous children clamber through bush to the top of the farm. The outdoor programme is a labour of love for Earle and her dream is that eventually, every child across Aotearoa can have a farm experience as part of their learning journey.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 17, 2020 02:37 UTC