School Programs
Christine and David Lean, the owners and residents of the farm, welcome school groups to come and experience berry production, water systems, soil efficiency and crops as well as lambs in lambing season.
We offer 2 types of education programs:
- short education programs that cater for 12 to 25 students. Each program typically runs for one hour, except where noted.
- full day programs of rotations through 4 activities for 25 to 50 students.
Alternatively, talk to us about building your very own custom program by adding different programs together. The more programs we run for you, the less the overall cost is.
Christine is a registered teacher and Farmer Dave is a retired teacher, turned agricultural employee and now a full-time farmer at Tuckerberry Hill.
We have a place both indoors and outdoors for your students to eat their morning snack or lunch. Our eating area and bathrooms are wheelchair accessible. Our orchard can be accessible with some forward planning.
Education programs
NOTE – we can modify all programs to suit your intended learning outcomes, experience and cohort.
Berry Production
Cost: $10 per student
Length: 1 hour session
Size: 12-25 students
Days: Mondays to Fridays – enquire below for available dates
It’s difficult to understand what it takes to grow a strawberry or a blueberry whilst seated in a classroom.
We offer students the chance to tour and then discover what it takes to grow these berries.
Students will walk away at the end of the hour with a deeper understanding of the plant life cycle from seed or cutting to mature fruiting plant.
For more information or to book in fill out the form below.
Water
Cost: $7 per student
Length: 1 hour session
Size: 12-25 students
Days: Mondays to Fridays – enquire below for available dates
Grandma Tucker was told, “You have a 50/50 chance of being successful with growing blueberries here” … she liked those odds. One of the reasons why the chances were so low is because Drysdale has very little rainfall and blueberries LOVE water.
Water sources, storage, irrigation systems, and recycling can work sustainably, however these concepts can sometimes it’s difficult to understand whilst seated in a classroom.
We offer students the chance to tour and then discover what it takes to use water in a sustainable way and how vital water is to Australian produce. Our farm relies on rainwater and supplements this with town water. But it rain is not a reliable water source as Drysdale is in a rain shadow. Town water is reliable however has less nutrients in it that rainwater, so what can we do about that. No water, no food.
We received a grant to experiment with hydroponic blueberries, to reduce and one day recycle the water used on them. Students will walk away at the end of the hour having experienced first-hand how vital water is for Australian produce and the food on their plate.
For more information or to book in fill out the form below.
Soil
Cost: $10 per student
Length: 1 hour session
Size: 12-25 students
Days: Mondays to Fridays – enquire below for available dates
All soil is not the same. Some plants prefer to grow in specific types of soil.
How can a farmer manage the soil on their farm so that they can grow plants and make money?
Tuckerberry Hill needs to manage their soil to meet the requirements of blueberry plants. In this session students will learn what the farmer needs to consider managing their soil.
For more information or to book in fill out the form below.
Crop
Cost: $10 per student
Length: 1 hour session
Size: 12-25 students
Days: Mondays to Fridays – enquire below for available dates
Tuckerberry Hill has chosen to grow berry and fruit crops.
Farmers need to consider which crops are best for their farm and which crops they will be able to market to the consumer.
Students will be encouraged to consider the choices that a farmer has when planting a crop, the issues that confront them and the steps that they need to take to grow their crop sustainably.
For more information or to book in fill out the form below.
Sustainability
Cost: $30 per student
Length: 4 hour session
Size: 25-50 students
Days: Mondays to Fridays – enquire below for available dates
The Sustainability excursion is run as a full day problem solving activity. Students will be encouraged to address the following question:
What activities on Tuckerberry Hill promote the capacity of Earth to maintain life and what practices could harm the capacity of Earth to maintain life?
“Sustainability addresses the ongoing capacity of Earth to maintain all life. Sustainable patterns of living meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Actions to improve sustainability are both individual and collective endeavours shared across local and global communities. They necessitate a renewed and balanced approach to the way humans interact with each other and the environment.”
(VCAA Learning about Sustainability)
View sample Sustainability Paddock to Plate excursion plan document.
For more information or to book in fill out the form below.
GET IN TOUCH
For School Program enquires please fill out your details below and we will be in touch.
What Our Happy Visitors Say
"Great farm, awesome organic berries. We were lucky enough to have a chat with the owner who is so passionate about what he is doing and about organic foods."
"Great farm, awesome organic berries. We were lucky enough to have a chat with the owner who is so passionate about what he is doing and about organic foods."
"Loved it strong community - fresh local mainly organic vegies, pick your own berries and a few sides biodynamic wheat, organic milk and yogurt. Oh yes and birdland organic seeds. Sat-Sun 10-3 ps can get a bite to drink and eat."
"We had a blast berry picking, licking ice-creams on the grass and enjoying the sunshine. Great outing for the kids loved it."