Good Things Happening – June Newsletter          Subscribe to our  Newsletter

    Art  + Food  + Farms  +  Learning  +  Sustainable Living

We’ll be working and learning in an indoor/outdoor facility with abundant garden and farm resources, birds and butterflies, and refreshing breezes overlooking the sea. Learn more about The Green School here.

Kohala introduction to the

Hawaii Farmers Union United

Thursday, August 14^th

6pm, Old Courthouse in Kapa’au

The Hawaii Farmers Union is part of a nationwide organization that is closely aligned with many local food grower’s interests: building healthy soils, growing and selling nutritious and organic foods.

Come learn about the Hawaii Farmers Union, what they stand for and what they have to offer Kohala farmers.

Current farmers, gardeners and land owners wanting to begin or expand operations are welcome – your voice is Wanted! 

A Kohala Chapter is forming.

From the HFUU:

“With over 500 members Hawai‘i Farmers Union United (HFUU) is growing on the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, and on Hawai‘i Island in Kona, Ka‘u and Kohala.  We are not a labor union, but an organization of smallholder, family farm oriented businesses and those who support us.  HFUU’s cooperative, education and legislative efforts are particularly focused on the development of “regenerative” agriculture.

HFUU and its Chapters are constituent elements of the storied National Farmers Union (NFU).  Founded in 1902, NFU is the oldest organization in the United States of family farm owners and managers and those who support them.  NFU, HFUU and its Hawai‘i Chapters are dedicated to promoting the interests of the family farm through education, cooperation and legislation.

The National Farmers Union fostered the farm cooperative movement of the early 20th Century United States. It is a history HFUU plans to continue by working to restore organic matter back to the soil to support new crops with fewer imported amendments at reduced cost and increased profit. This idea is growing among all the counties of Hawai‘i and their traditional na ahupua‘a (mountain to sea land districts). ”

Saturday, August 16^th, 9:30am-noon

Kona Green School presentation 10:30am

Come explore the grounds of One Island’s living learning laboratory and enjoy witnessing the intersection of local foods, renewable energy, art, health and education in a beautiful open air facility and garden. We’ll go on a sustainability treasure hunt exploration.

Farm strolls are welcome 9:30am-noon.

An introduction to the Green School’s pioneering program and Fall 2014 ‘Food Chain Game’ class will begin at 10:30am. We have a delightful 2,500 sq ft classroom and meeting space overlooking Kealakekua Bay with bird song, butterflies, and a nature farm all around. The Green School offers two programs – one is a monthly Saturday GREEN CAMP for all ages. The second is a homeschool supplementary program with academic and hands-on service learning features with monthly and weekly program options. Classes start Sept. 19^th. Family involvement days include field trips and fun family workshops – first up is Family Papermaking on October 11^th with retired teacher and artist Susan O’Malley.

Bring the family! And maybe a lunch for down at one of the local waterfront picnic areas? Place of Refuge, Kealakekua Bay and Manini Beach are nearby.

RSVP for directions to greenschool@oneisland.org

The Food Chain Game

Fall 2014 Programming at the Green School

Where does our food come from? Students enrolled in the Food Chain Game will learn about the full food system cycle, get to know the different people and pieces of the food system, and discover where they and their family fit in to the food system cycle. Who grows our food and how can we learn to be more engaged stewards of our local food system?

From ancient civilization history and the origin of foods from around the world, down to the soil and seeds that are essential ingredients to producing food today, Fall session Green Schoolers  are studying the Food Chain through science, language arts, creative movement, their school garden, history and social studies. Our classroom activities are combined with outdoor garden-based learning every class day for challenging weekly and monthly projects that engage each student in strong academic, intellectually challenging and real world experiences.created by the Green School and complemented by the Hawaii Island School Garden Network, Kokua Hawaii, and the Jane Goodall Roots ‘n Shoots programs. Family field trips will include visits to local farms and ethnobotanic gardens to meet the growers active in our island food chain today and those carrying forwards ancient Hawaiian sustainable agricultural practices. We’ll also be inviting families to come make paper from edible plants – and to join in a seasonal tamale making celebration!

The fall quarter at the Green School offers academic and hands-on experiential activities that bring learning to life and provide parent involvement field trips and activities that enrich the whole family. Weekly classes start in North Kohala on September 16th and monthly classes start in South Kona on September 19th.

Green School Introductory Meetings:

To learn more about the Green School,  families are invited to attend an upcoming introductory gathering in North Kohala on July 16^th (serving North and South Kohala) and in South Kona on July 25^th (serving North and South Kona and Ka’u), 10am – noon.

Please RSVP for directions to greenschool@oneisland.org or call 808-328-2452.

Learn more about the Green School online

at www.oneisland.org/hawaii-test/greenschools

Mahalo!

Honoka’a – Sunday, May 18th, 2pm, followed by a potluck, at NHERC

North Kohala – Saturday, May 31st, 2pm, followed by a Community-Scale Composting workshop with Bob Shaffer of Soil Culture, 4-6pm. at Walker Hall in Kapa’au

RSVP : Hawaii@oneisland.org

How can a small ranch turn water from an agricultural ditch into so much hydropower it has at times had to turn ON appliances just to use up the excess power in order to keep the system in balance? And provide water for its agricultural and residential water needs plus replenish a seasonal stream flow? Star Seed Ranch was our second field trip destination on the 8th and thankfully the rain held back just long enough for us to enjoy both a tour of the hydroelectric pump house, electricity conversion and impressive battery storage system, and the garden systems it irrigates. The use of ditch water for power, reuse of that water for the ranch needs, and then overflow as recharge for the local stream bed was an impressive system to witness.

Twenty-five people attended and we learned about below ground grey water distribution system dos and don’ts that show how simpler-is-better in getting our bathroom sink, shower and washing machine water out to our plants. Anna did a soil perc test, taught us how to recognize soil types, and guided us on laying out a model grey water pipe system. Great event!

Where ever you live, we encourage you to explore your watershed and learn about the water issues impacting your region. Water IS the BLUE GOLD of the 21st century.

January Water Talk is on Mon. Jan 13th in Kapa’au at the Old Courthouse with Boyd Bond, Ken Melrose and Councilwoman Margaret Wille. 6:45pm

Film Night is showing BLUE GOLD on Sat Jan 25th at Walker Hall in Kapa’au. 6:30pm