Funds Handed Over to Ballarat Specialist School for Farm Program

The Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast paid a special visit to the Ballarat Specialist School's Farm Campus in Norman Street for their breakfast on 4th March, 2009.

Principal of Ballarat Specialist School Mr John Burt gave club members an overview of why the farm is being developed and farm manager Mr Graeme Cheesman explained how the farm would enable the students to gain a greater range of skills when they graduate from the school.

During the breakfast President of the Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast June Driscoll handed over a cheque for $1,460 to school principal Mr John Burt to assist with the costs of establishing the farm. The donation was made as a result of a fundraising event run by the club called 'Costello & Cocktails' held November 14th, 2008 at Heritage on Lydiard. The evening attracted around 140 guests with guest speaker Peter Costello who readily gave his time in the spirit of Rotary.

Following breakfast members were taken on a tour of the farm by Mr Burt and Mr Cheeseman.

Below is an article published with the kind co-operation of LustreLife Magazine

Ballarat Special School Farm Program

Sam is looking forward to the rural farm program after enjoying the residential program at the Ballarat Special School. He was lucky to be at school when a local farmer brought in some poddy calves and so excited telling us about hand feeding the calves.

Local farmers are also looking forward to the opportunity of their poddies being hand reared, knowing they will be much easier to handle during milking.

Principal of the Ballarat Special School, Mr John Burt said, “It will be great to see the connection between the students and the farm animals develop. With this short visit, you can already see their mutual enjoyment and the enthusiasm is infectious. The farmers who own the calves look forward to enjoying the break from their already overloaded routine, knowing that the exposure between the calves and humans results in more passive cows and less stressful milking experiences for the farmer and the herd.”

The Ballarat Specialist School has a proud history of providing educational programs for students 5-18 years old who have varying levels of disabilities, Mr Burt, said “It is also well recognised that academic and practical learning can occur in many environments and the farm program is an extension to our school based activities. The ability to offer the farm program for young adolescents touches on developing pre vocational and good work ethics with school education really does position these young adolescents with a greater range of skills when they graduate from this school. Our aim is to develop individual potential regardless of abilities or disabilities. Staff and students are really excited about this new FARM.”

This stimulating combination of learning will provide opportunities to best achieve capabilities and also creating new jobs for people in Ballarat. Going to school at the FARM will include hand rearing poddy calves for local farmers and also cropping Lucerne for bailing and for sale.

New manager for the farm program, Mr Graeme Cheesman said, “This program aims to develop employment skills rates and increase general satisfaction at school, and at the same time participants will be challenged in an exciting and rewarding FARM environment”. He also said the ‘FARM’ would have an environmental approach and will include use of solar power, rainwater collection into tanks, use of natural chemicals which are environmentally friendly, sinking of a bore to provide a reliable supply of water for farming purposes and the use of water resistant plants.

The 7.2 hectare site chosen for the FARM is the old Ballarat Secondary College Midlands, in Norman Street, Ballarat.

As well as the rearing of poddy calves and cropping, the FARM will provide a market garden area and will be staffed with experienced agricultural specialists. The new staff bring their skills of ‘day to day’ farm operations, business leadership and the knowledge of strategic planning involved with farming to assist this exciting project for the students at Ballarat Special School.

The Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast will hold a fundraising event, aimed to raise public awareness for this futuristic program with guest speaker, Peter Costello. This event will be held at Heritage on Lydiard on Friday, November 14th, 2009 and will include Peter Costello’s memoirs - $65 per person (cocktails, nibbles and signed book all inclusive). For bookings please phone Sue on 5331 1633.

Article published with the kind co-operation of LustreLife Magazine