Fans dig Costa

Fans dig Costa

By ROXANNE MCCARTY-O”KANE

A RUMBLE erupted from hundreds of pint-sized green thumbs, as they caught a glimpse of their gardening idol Costa Georgiadis.
The star of SBS TV’s Costa’s Gardening odssey visited Our lady of the Rosary last Tuesday to promote the benefits ofpermaculture.

But he was preaching to the converted.

These students are actively involved in maintaining their flourishing garden, established with the help of Edible School Gardens guru Leonie Shanahan two years ago.
Dressed in his trademark denim overalls with mud-stained knees, Costa spoke animatedly to his captive audience about how wonderful it was to eat produce you had grown yourself.

“You know exactly where it has been, wht has been put on it and how far it has travelled – which is just from your garden into your kitchen,” he said.

“The difference between a tomato grown and sent off to the supermarket and one you grow yourself is that even when it is halfway down to your tummy, it is still alive and full of  goodness.

“It still thinks it is in the garden but someone has turned all the lights out”

Costa visited three schools and the Yandina Community Garden on a whirlwind two-day Sunshine Coast trip.

“I think these days are important – it may be only one day but it can galvanise a movement because it helps get the word out,” Costa said.

“It is heart-warming to see these kids embracing the healthy change that we have needed for such a long time.

“They are the best at spreading seeds and I encourage them to scatter them far and wide.”

After an extensive question and answer session with the students and signing autographs for his greatest fans, Costa was treated to a lunch created with produce from their garden.  The mouth-watering menu included arrowroot salad with a pesto and mayonnaise dressing, mixed leaf salad with a cranberry dressing, semi-sundried tomato and tapenade pasta salad and garlic and chive butter on ciabatta bread.

Costa fast facts

• Grew up near Bondi Beach
• Boasts becoming a green thumb at nine months old
• Studied landscape architecture at university
• Has filmed 25 episodes of Costa’s Gardening Odyssey for SBS
• Has not shaved his beard since November 1991
• Refuses to eat fast food because “health is not a convenience”