A classroom in the countryside: The "Tölza Garden" is a successful model
Created: 04/12/2022, 09:00
By: Elena Royer
In the "Tölza Gartn" at the harvest: Rose Marie Bayer (hi.) with f.
left
Sarah (5), Betty (5) and Franziska (12).
archi © pröhl
In the successful "Tölza Garden" project, children learn everything about growing food.
For this there was now the environmental award of the district.
Bad Tölz – A true oasis has sprung up between berry bushes, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes at the Franziskus Center in Tölz since 2014.
The "Tölza Garden".
Now the community garden has been awarded the environmental prize.
With the support of the city, the district group of the Bund Naturschutz (BN) under the initiators Rose Marie Beyer and Aki Schwarzenberger created a green oasis for all generations.
The former monastery garden is a green classroom, community garden, space for recreation and exercise, space for creativity and a meeting place for young and old. School children in particular often come to the "Tölza Garden", says Aki Schwarzenberger.
“The three Tölz schools, i.e. Jahnschule, Lettenholzschule and Südschule, come to us to garden.” They learn what is planted and harvested when and which animals live in the garden.
"Most of the time we also prepare something - a quark or fruit salad."
The origin of the food should be brought closer to the children
Many children don't know anything about gardening because most schools no longer have a school garden, explains Schwarzenberger.
"The garden is falling by the wayside, that's a huge deficit." It is particularly important to the initiators to bring the children closer to the origin of their food.
"Very few parents of the children who come to us have a garden," explains the 70-year-old.
"But what they learn from us, they should pass on and use at home, for example with their grandparents."
Even the potato chip doesn't come out of the bag
In the "Tölza Garden" children can follow the cycle in the garden all year round.
"In autumn, for example, we build a hedgehog house or collect the seeds from plants to sow them again next spring," says Schwarzenberger.
It is also important to the initiators that the children develop a connection to the food.
"Because the potato chip just doesn't come out of the bag," says the Lenggrieserin.
Self-sufficiency has become a big issue, especially now that food prices are rising every day.
"Hardly anyone cooks for themselves anymore," says Schwarzenberger.
"But if I know how versatile potatoes or cabbage can be used, I can feed myself very cheaply." She knows: "The expensive thing about the whole purchase is the ready-made food and the packaging."
Chemical fertilizers are taboo in the Tölza garden
Nevertheless, the regional food is very popular.
“With the 'Tölza Garden' we want to support regional nutrition and show appreciation for food.
Children should learn how tedious it is, for example, to grow potatoes when the mice are eating everything.” But not only others benefit from the “Tölza Garden”, but also the team itself: “The work enriches you,” says Schwarzenberger.
"And I think it's important to give something back."
By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Bad Tölz newsletter.
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In the "Tölza Garden" sustainability is lived.
"We don't use chemical fertilizers, we only use our own compost and we keep everything in a closed loop."
The award means "a lot" to the "Tölza Garten" team, says Schwarzenberger.
"We are pleased that our work is now also recognized regionally in the district after we have already received the federal prize in Berlin."
You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.
