Penola, South Australia, is increasing its student numbers
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (363805)
Rockingham, Australia
September 21, 2025 8:43pm CST
Penola is a small town in south-east South Australia. Its high school student number were declining with most opting to travel by bus to Mt Gambier. That was the case until the school built a chicken coop on an empty paddock next to the school. The idea expanded and there are now cows, sheep, goats and fish being looked after by the students.
The metal and woodworking departments at the school provide gates, shelters, nesting boxes, etc and produce such as eggs are used in the canteen. Numbers have now risen overall at the school and a team of 15 of the farm students, 13 of whom are females, recently returned from the 2025 Royal Adelaide Show with 37 awards.
The photo was taken some years ago when we visited the windmill museum at Penola.
15 people like this
15 responses
@JudyEv (363805)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Sep
That one is very strange, isn't it? I possibly wrote about it at the time but it might have been on Bubblews. I don't seem to have notes on it. Nowadays, I often take photos of any information panels so I can look back and remember more details.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (363805)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Sep
@noni1959 I actually got the names wrong. The school is at Penola but the windmill museum is at Penong. If you use the search box and type in any one of Penong, windmill, windmills, the articles shoudl come up. But it seems I didn't write one about the one with the funny blades.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (197326)
• United States
22 Sep
Guess they take their farming seriously.
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (48491)
• India
27 Sep
This is quite remarkable.
I think, with some tweaking, similar idea can work well enough in India!
13 females out of 15 is quite a significant number !
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363805)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Oct
We do have agricultural colleges here but this idea incorporates farming with normal school lessons.
@luisadannointed (9457)
• Philippines
23 Sep
That's nice to know. They have reinvented that's why they grow.
The photo looks nice.
1 person likes this
@luisadannointed (9457)
• Philippines
23 Sep
@JudyEv that's good, farmers is very needed to sustain the food supply of each country.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363805)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Sep
@luisadannointed If people don't grow food then we'll starve one day.
@RebeccasFarm (93689)
• Arvada, Colorado
22 Sep
This is good Judy. Good learning there for the kids.
Lovely windmill museum
How is your son doing the one that moved?
And the other of course.
How is your son doing the one that moved?
And the other of course.1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (93689)
• Arvada, Colorado
24 Sep
@JudyEv Alright Judy glad he is in from the elements at least now..and your other son too safe and sound..righto
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363805)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Sep
Our son is settled in a new place which is pretty ordinary but he feels safe there as in the place won't be sold from under him. We're hoping to be able to help him find something permanent and a bit better. The one in Ireland is doing well too thanks.
@allknowing (154217)
• India
22 Sep
This should be treated as a mode school as it is not common to have students use their hands to manufacture items such as seen in this school
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363805)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Sep
Many schools teach these skills. When I was at school, the boys did metal- and woodwork and the girls did 'home science' (cooking and sewing). Nowadays, both sexes can choose which subjects they prefer.
@DaddyEvil (160026)
• United States
22 Sep
Why would starting to raise animals at the school raise the numbers of students there?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (363805)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Sep
Because the kids are interested in animals. They'd be outdoors mostly too and not sitting at a desk learning things that seem to have no relevance to their current situation. Some probably come from farms so the environment is more what they're used to.
@wolfgirl569 (123491)
• Marion, Ohio
22 Sep
That's a great idea and teaches them responsibility too
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (89701)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Sep
Sounds like a quiet and safe place to go to school,
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (203076)
• United States
22 Sep
That's a neat photo. Unusual windmill on the right. I'm glad that the school is thriving and the students are winning awards.
1 person likes this
