A QUICK downward snap, and Buddy Morgan had another ear of corn in hand.
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Buddy was part of a Clontarf Academy student team that came out from Inverell High School on March 8 to harvest the last of this year’s BEST Food Garden corn crop.
“We’ve probably got about 800 ears there,” BEST social programs co-ordinator Danny Middleton said, casting his eye across the final stand of stalks.
The bi-colour super sweet corn will be distributed, two cobs per recipient, among 70 Inverell pensioners, 10 in Moree and 30 recipients in Glen Innes as part of their weekly fresh produce, eggs, and home baked bread delivery.
Danny said he is organising Tingha elders to be next on the list for deliveries, and aims for a final delivery list of 150 recipients.
The Clontarf students’ participation is one group among many who lend a hand, from the seed to delivery, for district seniors.
“What we’re trying to do here is if we do an activity, that activity has to have numerous benefits,” Danny said.
“The Clontarf boys, they’re going to pick the corn, they’re productively participating in the community, their elders are receiving this produce,”
Inverell Clontarf director Michael Watton arrived from Bourke at the beginning of the school year, and said he was pleased the students were still taking part in the BEST garden.
“It gets us out in the community, gets the boys out, and giving a bit back to the community in a really positive way,” Michael said.
“I wanted to jump on board with this again (because) I know that some of these boys’ pops and uncles will benefit from this.
“We’re happy to help out wherever we can.”
The Clontarf students made short work of the picking, heaving armloads of ears onto the back of a ute for Michael and Clontarf operations officer Shane Edmonds to stack.
Once the stalks were stripped of mature cobs, the students boxed up the ears for the cold store to ensure several weeks of corn to come, and finished off the morning with a barbecue.
BEST garden is already growing the winter crop of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.
