September: National Bee Awareness Month

Did you know that if bees died out there would be no chance of humans surviving? 

Bees are responsible for pollinating more than a third of the food we eat and yet populations of bees are disappearing all over the world.

As neighbourhoods become more built up and people plant low maintenance gardens without flowering plants, bees are left exhausted and hungry. 

 

National Bee Awareness Month is an initiative to increase the number and variety of nectar and pollen rich flowering plants available to friendly insect pollinators. 

 

Selecting a range of plants which offer flowers through the seasons is one way to help bee colonies. Here are some suggestions:

• Blue, purple, white and yellow-flowering plants are their favourites as they can’t see the colour red.
• Bees prefer plants with flowers with a single row of petals, which make landing and retrieving nectar easier.
• Bees especially love the flowers of brassica, sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, nasturtium and lavender.
• Herbs which can be grown in containers if you don’t have much space such as chives, mint, basil,  lemon balm, rosemary, sage and thyme are excellent bee friendly options.

You don't have to dedicate a large plot of ground in order to help the bee population; just tuck some of these plants in among your vegetables and garden beds. And it’s a good excuse to not mow your lawn so often so the dandelions and clover have a chance to grow! 

 

The Upper Nihotupu Dam

Today, the first of the Year 4 classes visited the Upper Nihotupu Dam in the Waitakere Ranges. It was a fabulous day out and a wonderful learning experience for our Piwakawaka children.

The dam was completed in 1923 and has a capacity of 2.2 gigalitres (which is approximately 1000 Olympic sized pools).

Children from Rm 18 and 19 were amazed by the size of the dam.

Following the pipes which take the water from the reservoir to the treatment plant

The rain that had been falling for the last few days had filled the reservoir to maximum capacity and all of the beautiful waterfalls we passed along the way were full to bursting point.

 

The rain that falls in the Waitakere's flows downhill, pools in the reservoir and then continues it's journey...

Watching the water released over the spillway pouring down the impressive dam.

Each day, Watercare supplies quality drinking water to around 1.3 million Aucklanders. 26 percent of Auckland's water is collected in one of six dams located high in the Waitakere Ranges. The construction of these amazing dams were such an incredibly forward thinking project for our city’s early town planners and engineers. 

Climbing the 156 steps to the top of the dam

 The Waitaks receive around 2000mm of rain annually, which is about 50 percent more than central Auckland. The elevated location mean water collected in the dams can flow to the city by gravity. 

The Waitakere dams were constructed between 1907 and 1971 and are named after the stream that feeds into each reservoir. Raw water from these dams is piped to treatment plants in Huia, Titirangi and Swanson where it undergoes a series of treatment stages to ensure it meets the requirements of the Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand.

And that is part of the story of the water that you enjoy from your taps each day.

So have a chat to a Year 4 student, and learn more about the interesting story of Auckland’s water. 

Following the tracks which were originally built as part of the supply line for the dam building.

The Story of Bottled Water

The Story of Stuff present the Story of Bottled Water.

Definitely something we should all be thinking about- the huge effect the demand for bottled water is having on our environment.

And the best way to make a difference and help break the cycle? Just stop buying bottled water. Grab a re-useable bottle on the way out the door instead of buying on the run and order tap water at restaurants and pocket the savings.

One drop creates many ripples.

Winter Planting

It’s time to get the garden ready for winter.
Pick up fallen fruit from under fruit trees. How wonderful are the feijoas right now? It is also passionfruit harvest time- yummy! If you have pears on your tree, pick them now to ripen inside rather than leaving them to rot from the inside or be eaten by birds.
If you have root crops such as carrots, potatoes or beetroot, now is the time to harvest them and pop them in a cool, dry cupboard to store.
Winter seeds which can be planted now to enjoy over the winter months are:

• Snow peas or broad beans
• Onions
• Bok choy
• Spring onion, salad greens, and radishes

Plant these Winter crops as seedings:

• Brussels sprout or broccoli
• Cauliflower or cabbage

And if the kids are looking for something to help with, it is time to rake up the fallen leaves and pop them on the compost. Leaves in the compost help to balance out the lawn clippings and vege scraps and are a great source of carbon.
Dig, cultivate, do odd jobs and most of all enjoy the last of the warmth before the cold sets in.

Plant cauliflower now ready for enjoying this Winter

Baby Bats, Squeelingly Adorable, Baby Bats

How cute are these baby orphaned bats? Check out this video of them just doing their adorable baby bat thing at the Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre in Australia. Reminds me of that sweet story Stellaluna about the bat who lost it's Mumma. These little guys just make you go "Awwww!"

Gardeners Update March

We are growing lots of plants in the school garden like strawberries, parsley, mint, and fruit trees like lemon, lime, apple and feijoa. I love to eat feijoas!

 

We planted some little seedlings which are growing fast. We planted silver beet and lettuce and beetroot.  We planted planted carrot, pea and bean seeds. We have to water them and we share out the watering jobs so we all get a turn. 

I like to water the garden and rake the leaves so it all looks tidy.

Keira Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like to see all the different plants and learn about how they grow. I love doing the watering. The other day we found lots of potatoes, even baby ones, in the ground.

Kimora Iakopo

 

 

When we pulled out the carrots I found out that carrots grow in the ground. I took home the carrots and my whole family had them with our dinner. I love going to Gardening Group and taking care of the garden so that one day we can take home the things we grow. Watering is fun.

Lotosina Tavui

Gardening Group for 2015

If you were involved in the gardening Group last year, you would be very welcome to join up again this year as well. Anyone in Y3, Y4, Y5 or Y6 this year that is interested in joining is most welcome to come along and sign up.

If you come regularly and help with planting, watering, weeding and tidying you also get to take home what we grow to share with your families.

If you want to bring along a friend you can sign up together.

Gardening Group is taking place at the same time as last year:

Monday     Break 2

Thursday     Break 1

We look forward to having you join our little Break Time Option.

 

Miss Rands-Trevor