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Cultivating smarter food choices – for everyone

Food Ladder is completely transforming children’s relationship with food. In collaboration with teachers, kids in our partner schools are falling in love with fruit and vegetables. Most for the very first time.

The key to transforming their outlook is installing a climate-controlled greenhouse at their school. Children see first-hand how hydroponic technology works. Our experts help them choose the right crops to plant, the right time to harvest and the right products to make. The school becomes a small-scale food producer.

We see students finding the joy in planting, nurturing, and harvesting. They’re taking pride in the healthy food they produce. They’re gaining a better understand of nutrition. Plus, they’re developing important life skills. Crucially, they’re then passing
 this knowledge to older generations.

Food Ladder don’t just plant a few seeds and walk away. Instead,
 we continue to provide support, fresh training, resources, and materials. We’ve already helped kids in every Australian state and territory, and we’re just getting started.

Cultivating smarter food choices – for everyone
Cultivating smarter food choices – for everyone
Students showing spinach and zucchini
Food Ladder Green house numbers

It’s shocking, the number of kids who don’t eat fruit and veggies. For some, it’s because they don’t have access.
 For others it’s a lack of knowledge. Either way, Food
 Ladder has found a fresh way to addressing this issue.

We give kids easy access to fresh food and change the
 way they look at vegetables.

The results are outstanding. We’ve already seen kids who engage with Food Ladder have changed their long-term behaviour. Better still, they teach their parents and their communities. We’ve even seen household gardens springup after Food Ladder arrives in the local school.

Much like teaching someone to fish feeds them for a lifetime, Food Ladder teaches them to grow. Which is a life-skill they will carry forever. And pass on.

Best of all, Food Ladder relies on teachers but doesn’t add to their already punishing workload. We’ve developed a ‘Plug and play’ approach to all our installations. Each of our food growing systems is designed specifically for productivity, community and development.

Productivity

Our systems are 5-times more productive than traditional farming methods when operating at full capacity.

Community

Each system is designed to address the specific climate and food requirements of each individual community.

Development

Our projects address health, education, and economic development. We partner with the local community in a multi- disciplinary approach – including vocational training, STEM education and nutrition workshops.

"32% of the 'health burden' is preventable but only 2% of health expenditure is put towards prevention. Food Ladder bridges the gap with nutrition."
Students

Growing at schools near you

Schools are the heart of Food Ladder. Without them, children would continue misunderstanding food. On this interactive map you can see schools currently using a Food Ladder system (the green pins) plus our planned locations (the yellow pins). To view details simply click on the pin.

Food Ladder map August

Leonora District
High School,
WA.

(Wangkatja)
Produces vegetables for school lunches and potted flowers for Mother's Day.

Alekarenge
School,
Tas.

(Kaytetye country)
Seamlessly aligned maths with the learning outcomes of Food Ladder.

Sorell
School,
Tas.

(Palawa)
Suplimenting 150+ meals per day from the Food Ladder greenhouse.

Kintore Street
School,
NT.

(Jawoyn country)
Built a basil pesto business in the first year.

Wellington
Public School,
NSW.

(Wiradjuri)
The greenhouse is situated between classrooms and surrounded by a native food garden for ease of access.

Sheffield
School, Tas.

(Palawa)
Run a profitable market stall with a range of fresh produce.

Wilmot
School, Tas.

(Palawa)
Invited 400+ students to their school just to showcase Food Ladder.

Newling Public
School, NSW.

(Anaiwan)
Their school food, with greenhouse addition, is some students only daily meal.

Radiant Live
College, Qld.

(Mamu)
Students are reaping hands-on learning linked to STEM subjects.

Nambucca
Heads High
School, NSW.

(Gumbaynggirr)
Food Ladder greenhouse is now a wellbeing hub - helping reduce truancy.

Hilltop Road
Public School, NSW.

(Darug)
Has a blooming greenhouse growing lettuce, parsley, tomatoes and pak choi.

Broome Senior
High School, WA.

(Yawuru)
A special needs student became the greenhouse pH and EC data superhero.

Waterford West
State School, Qld.

(Yuggerah)
The greenhouse is situated between classrooms and surrounded by a native food garden for ease of access.

Central Yorke
School, SA

(Narangga)
Has a blooming greenhouse growing lettuce, parsley, tomatoes and pak choi.

St Helens
District High
School, Tas.

(Palawa)
Growing an abundance of vegetables over winter in cold NE Tasmania.

Cowell Area School, SA

(Narangga)
The school with the best snacks is Cowell, where students love helping themselves to fresh produce straight from the greenhouse.

Tyrrell College
Victoria

(Wergaia)
The greenhouse programme is smoothly integrated with their agriculture programme.

Heywood &
Districts
Secondary
College, Vic

(Gunditjmara)
Experimenting with water temperatures to take control of their water quality.

Ungarra Primary
School, SA

(Nawu)
To capture data from the greenhouse, primary students created their own spreadsheet.

Coonamble
Public School, NSW

(Kamilaroi)
Integrated the greenhouse with their aquaponics system.

Prospect North
Primary School,
SA

(Kaurna)
Have grown gardens of beneficial plants around the greenhouse.

Murrumburrah
High School, NSW

(Wiradjuri)
Nothing goes to waste when the goats and chickens are fed the greenhouse surplus.

Communities @
Work Galilee
School, ACT

(Ngambri)
A specialist school for disengaged students to find their employment pathway.

Cunnamulla P-12
State School,
Qld

(Kunja)
Integrating offsite employment providers to educate about alternative employment pathways.

Barcaldine P-12
State School,
Qld

(Inningai)
Growing year round produce despite harsh, unpredictable climate conditions

Longreach State
High School,
Qld

(Inningai)
Growing year round produce despite harsh, unpredictable climate conditions

Rainbow P-12
College,
Victoria

(Wergaia)
Established a Food Ladder elective class for enthusiastic gardeners

Oak Flats
High School,
NSW

(Yuin)
Enterprise that covers the Central North of Qld with a roaming cafe.

Crescent Head
Public School,
NSW

(Dainggatti)
Using the greenhouse for multiple hydroponic techniques to provide a variety of food.

Boonah State
High School,
Queensland

(Bundjalung)
Incorporated the years Australian curriculum into the Food Ladder programme before the greenhouse was built.

Stirling North
Primary School, SA

(Nukunu)
Using vegetables to learn about all manner of science applications.

Yorketown Area
School,
SA

(Narangga)
Numerous classes covering sustainability and nutrition with the greenhouse right outside the kitchen door.

Port Dalrymple
School,
Tas

(Palawa)
Using the greenhouse to teach life skills of gardening, cooking and nutrition.

Winton

(Koa people))
Battling food insecurity one hydroponic crop at a time.

Charleville

(Kunja land)
Soon...

Brewarrina

(Wailwan country)
Soon...

Say Hello

If you’re interested in changing the way Australia eats, we’d love to hear from you. The easiest way is by using the form here.

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