The Greenhouse gets a Double Blessing

Every WEdnesday we have a volunteer day up at our Greenhouse (3361 Omaopio rd in Kula from 10-4pm).  Having this site has truly made our entire project a sustainable one, because not only are we able to grow our own starts for all of our community and school gardens, but we are able to have a teaching space, and we are able to reward our amazing volunteers with free workshops and classes as well as free plant starts and seeds to take home.  We now give away "Plant Bucks" to all of our volunteers which are redeemable for new plant starts from our nursery.

This caught the attention of a wonderful healer that is known as White Eagle...who came to bless our Greenhouse operation a few weeks ago.  It was a beautiful blessing, and it helped us to stop for a moment to really reflect upon just how profound of an impact we are making on this island.  We are not only planting 18 gardens this year but we are literally giving away 1000 plants each month out into our community, and training the future growers and farmers of tomorrow.  And we are getting community back together- working towards a common goal- and a common vision that is bigger than just food security.  It beyond sustainability.  It is REGENERATION....not only regenerating lands and schools, but regenerating communities and jobs, and inter-generational sharing and communication.  It is regenerating our community as a whole.

Sometimes I get so busy with the project that I forget just how profound it all really is.  This month we had a film crew show up to document our progress.  Dr Pang from the Health Dept came up, and Mayor Arakawa came to take a tour of the Greenhouse, and we may even begin a few fruit trees for his neighboring land.  All in all, I am just so grateful for this amazing community that has made it all possible.  For Raj and Ami for gifting us the Greenhouse, for our dedicated volunteers Lehua, Shawn, Lauren, Tara, Tricia, Jayanti, Matt, Genie, London, Heidi...who show up with a smile on their faces week after week.  Mahalo nui loa for everyone who has made this project what it is.  

The film crew from the CPPW comes to interview Dr Pang

Talking about creating a sustainable business plan with the Mayor

Raj and Ami Schoor gave the Mayor a tour of the Kona Red and Bioponic Phytocuticals facilities along with the Greenhouse

Cole Santos and Tui Anderson from the Water Dept helped lend a hand to the Native Plant section of the Greenhoue

Taking a break from filming to get a laugh in

Checking on all the babies

Everyone hard at work...be careful- Matt has that look in his eye :)  aaand he has a hose in hand.  

The "teenagers" of the greenhouse...growing strong

Lauren has been one of our most dedicated volunteers- thank you for sending her our way Mary Bailey- she has been such a light in the Greenhouse

Seeds of hope

one of our ORIGINAL volunteers Shawn who has been one of the most humble, dedicated and kind of all of our volunteers!  There is really no way to thank you enough Shawn for your big heart, and for bringing a smile to all of us each Wednesday. 

Lehn Huff the Maui School Garden COordinator planting new starts of Sweet Potato and helping me to organize the Greenhouse

Bruno from Eco Island Supply has been a tremendous help in the Greenhouse and is such a wealth of knowledge- We hope to collborate with him more in the future to bring the community more free classes and workshops

Matt Lane...

Jayanti is our Fruit tree specialist and has been getting a fruit tree nursery going onsite

 Thank you to our amazing volunteer ohana...who has planted literally thousands of wishes out of this greenhouse.  And a special thank you to White Eagle for blessing the space and each one of us, to Mayor Arakawa for taking the time to visit our Greenhouse, Joe Bergeron and Laura Marie for the beautiful photos, Lehn Huff from the Maui School Garden Network, and Paris Nabavi for so graciously gifting us so many wonderful seeds.  It has been a joy to watch this project evolve and grow with so much possibility.