Tús maith, leath na hoibre a deirtear agus tá páistí Gaelscoil na Mara, le cabhair ó Bailte Slachtmhara ag cuir cruth deas ar Gáirdín na Scoile. Over the last number of months Gaelscoil na Mara has worked in partnership with Tidy Towns establishing an allotment on the school grounds. Six 10×5 ft raised beds were built and the pupils immediately set about planting potatoes and onions and shoots are already starting to appear. The pupils were also busy in the classroom sowing lolla rossa, strikeforce, crisphead, Swiss chard, beetroot and spinach and brassicas of cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Kale and Broccoli which will be ready for planting outdoors over the next number of weeks. A large fruit garden was also planted with nearly thirty fruit bushes including raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, rhubarb, cranberries, blueberries and strawberries which should start bearing fruit over the next year.The pupils in the school have full responsibility for the sowing, planting, watering, feeding and in time, harvesting of the produce with a ‘farm to fork’ approach. Making food from the produce will also be an important aspect of the allotment, e.g. making jams from the fruit or Brussels sprouts for Christmas dinner. The school community is very aware of the benefits of food production and outdoor education on the physical and mental health of the pupils.

Tá na páistí ag foghlaim sa rang faoi na glasraí, torthaí, plandaí agus cad as a dtagann ár soláthar bídh. Bhí sceitimíní ar cách nuair a bhí seans ag na páistí prataí agus oinniúin a chur le cabhair agus súl saineolaí Tidy Towns. Ár mbuíochas le gach éinne a chabhraigh chun ár ngáirdín a chruthú. Táimid an brodúil as an comhoibriú pobail a bhí i gceist chun an tionscadal seo a chuir le chéile. Ba mhaith linn buíochas a ghabhail go mór mhór le Cairde na Scoile agus Tidy Towns Donabate as an pleanáil, soláthar trealaimh agus tacaíocht airgeadais chun an tionscadal seo a thabhairt chun críche . Táimid ag súil go mór torthaí ár saothair a bhlaiseadh.