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The Hawai'i Island School Garden Network

Written by Pedro Tama | 26 May 2010

Students flow into garden for a recent celebration at Mala'ai: The Culinary Gardens of Waimea Middle School

Have you ever wondered how the next generations will learn about where their food comes from? Or who will teach our kids how to grow their own food? Did you think that perhaps parents and families would teach their children these things? Think again: all evidence demonstrates that over the past century fewer and fewer parents even know where their food comes from or what a healthy diet is, let alone how to grow a backyard vegetable garden.

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The Hawi Farmers Market: Under the Banyan Trees

Written by Sonia Martinez | 25 May 2010

The old Banyan trees at the Hawi market provide comfortable shade.

There is a carnival atmosphere at the Hawi market. Colorful tents, music playing, banners flying, lots of people milling around; many visiting and catching up with each others’ news and talking story. This is a very lively market. And there is not a bad spot for any vendor under the two huge and ancient banyan trees that give the market its name. There are some preferred spots, such as around the trunks of the trees, but no bad ones, as the shadows under the trees spread so wide that everyone is covered.

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Container Gardens and Other Secrets of a Seasoned Planter

Written by India Young | 24 May 2010

Velvet Replogle stands behind her container gardens in Ocean View, Ka'u.

One crafty solution to the challenges of gardening in the rocky substrate of Hawai'i Island is to use containers. Ocean View resident Velvet Replogle has had success in her organic garden, by doing just this. At an elevation of 4,300 ft, Velvet grows a variety of fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers in large plastic containers. The country girl from British Columbia and long time Hawai`i resident sat down with HHFN to share tricks of the trade she’s learned from 35 years of gardening.

Sixteen years ago Velvet and her husband John began planting fruit trees on their Ocean View acre. Situated in a kipuka, the site is dense with native vegetation. “I’ve been vegetable gardening on our property for 8 years, and I now use containers because the 'ohi'a roots invade the beds.

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Cooking from the Garden

Written by Sonia Martinez | 08 May 2010

Workshop participants prepare food harvested from the garden at Mala'ai

On Saturday, May 1, 2010, the Mala'ai Culinary Garden at the Waimea Middle School hosted a workshop entitled, “Cooking from the Garden.” The workshop promised that participants would learn some tasty, healthy recipes and eat delicious food right out of the garden—and did we ever!

The director and mainstay of the garden is Amanda Rieux who at one time worked with Alice Waters' Edible School Yard in Berkeley, California for four years. The workshop was the fifth in a series presented by the garden this spring and was skillfully facilitated by Amanda, Matilda Tompson and Cerila Balberde with the assistance of Alethea Lai.

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Kaiao Garden, Hilo

Written by Kaiao Garden 'Ohana | 08 May 2010

Volunteers participate in the Kaiao Garden experience.

Kaiao Garden is a community food-sovereignty effort that began in 2006. We are located in downtown Hilo behind the Boys and Girls Club. The vision of this 1½ acre garden is a gathering place, a kauhale. The garden supports efforts to feed people, teach kids and adults how to plant and harvest food, practice healthy eating, cook creatively outdoors, heal body and mind, create nature-inspired art work, build structures for meetings and workshops, and educate all who share the following Hawaiian values:

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