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Harvesting knowledge and pumpkins

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East Kimberley College Kimberley Education for Life Year 11 students (back) Tremayne Reid-Ryder, Halejah Storey, Sandi-Anne Gerrard, KEFL coordinator Claire Piesse, (front) Marzanna Churchill, River Shaw, Simahli Dryden, with WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan.
Camera IconEast Kimberley College Kimberley Education for Life Year 11 students (back) Tremayne Reid-Ryder, Halejah Storey, Sandi-Anne Gerrard, KEFL coordinator Claire Piesse, (front) Marzanna Churchill, River Shaw, Simahli Dryden, with WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan. Credit: Cally Dupe

Strolling through a field of vibrant orange pumpkins in the Ord Irrigation Scheme, WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan gave a smiling nod of approval to a group of Year 11 and 12 students just about to pick their first crop by hand.

“They look pretty good,” she exclaimed, and told the students she wanted to know exactly which pumpkin would crowned the heaviest at the Kununurra Agricultural Show last weekend.

The Kimberley Education for Life students, who attend East Kimberley College, were excited to rub shoulders with the Minister at the Frank Wise Research Institute in Kununurra earlier this month, during what was believed to be the biggest crop field walk ever held in the Ord Valley.

In town for the walk, organised by the Northern Australia Crop Research Alliance, Ms MacTiernan took time to meet the students, who had been growing the pumpkins across a trial plot at the Frank Wise Research Institute since planting them in late March.

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KEFL co-ordinator Claire Piesse said each the students were completing a Certificate II in Rural Operations, and had picked the pumpkins last week.

“We wanted to give them exposure in the agriculture industry, and the chance to experience planting a crop, with commitment to maintenance, teamwork, and weed and bug control,” she said.

The students have been tending to the pumpkins every couple of weeks since April, learning about irrigation siphons, planting seedlings, weeding, fertiliser and germination.

They have also visited two farms, Oria Orchards and Bothkamp Australia Farm, and spent time learning about crops grown at the Frank Wise Research Institute.

The pumpkin planting marked the first time KEFL students had planted a crop in Kununurra, with previous hands-on experiences at Charles Darwin Rural College in the Northern Territory and local cattle stations.

Ms Piesse said many of the students had previously never stepped on farms, despite growing up in Kununurra.

The students’ efforts won them the top prize for heaviest pumpkin at the show on Saturday, at a whopping 48kg.

Kununurra Agricultural Show president Kath Ryan said the giant pumpkin contest competition was a highlight of the annual event.

“They are really impressive when we get really big ones,” he said.

“There’s a lot of secrecy about who is growing them and how.

“It’s hotly contested even though there isn’t always a prize.”

The pumpkins are weighed at Ord River District Cooperative ahead of the show, and then put on display in the fruit and vegetable pavilion on Saturday.

The Kununurra Agriculture Show begins at 12pm on Friday and ends at about 11pm on Saturday night.

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