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We feel incredibly grateful that we're able to learn and work alongside our community on the farm through our core educational programs, Nā Keiki O Ka 'Āina, Ke Ala Learning Center, and U-Pick Farm to Basket. Each program is unique, but connected to each other and rooted in this place. Through the dedication of our staff and board and lots of support from our community, our educational programs continue to grow in meaningful ways that advance our mission.
Nā Keiki O Ka 'Āina
Nā Keiki O Ka ‘Āina continues to serve Mākaha Elementary School's 400+ students in various capacities. This program teaches mahi'ai practices, scientific concepts, and Hawaiian culture and history while encouraging teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, and healthy eating and lifestyles. Farm-based lessons help keiki connect with the land, spend time in a nurturing environment, experience the interconnectedness of life, and have fun while feeling safe to explore their interests and express themselves.
Ke Ala Learning Center
The Ke Ala Program hosts and facilitates visits to the farm for students and groups outside of Mākaha Elementary School. Over this past school year, we have been able to host over 1500 students ranging in grades pre-k through 12 at the farm where students, teachers, and 'ohana were able to tour the farm, feed the animals, make and sample sugarcane juice, plant food in our fields that go towards feeding our community, and take home a seed starter to grow food at home.
U-Pick + Kūpuna U-Pick
Our monthly U-Pick Farm to Basket events welcomes our community to harvest from designated fields, assist staff with planting, learn health benefits and recipes, and take starters home for their gardens. As an innovation and expansion to our U-Pick, we started a Kūpuna U-Pick in January 2024 working with the students from the Papahana 'o Kaiona (POK) Alternative Learning Program to plan and run this new project specifically for kūpuna in our community. The Kūpuna U-Pick fosters intergenerational learning and sharing between Wai‘anae ‘ōpio and kūpuna helping to build meaningful bonds with each other. In total, we have been able to run seven U-Pick events and four Kūpuna U-Pick events from August 2023 - May 2024 giving out around 3747.5lbs of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to our community at no cost.
Cooking With Da Uncles
Every Tuesday during the school year, the Mālama Mākaha PALS afterschool group from Mākaha Elementary came to the farm and worked with HAOM staff uncle Shannon, uncle Jon, and uncle Ikaika on the farm and in the kitchen for a garden and culinary program we affectionately call, “Cooking With Da Uncles.” The students had lots of fun growing, harvesting, and cooking together.
Special Events for our Community
In addition to our core educational programs, we also collaborated with our friends to host a couple of special events at the farm in the month of April. With Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry program, we were able to host a two-day Kālai (carving) workshop where 'ohana from our community got to carve a māna 'ai (baby's first food dish) with guidance from traditional Hawaiian carving practitioners, Nalu Andrade and Miki Cook. We also held a special U-Pick event with Mālama Learning Center focused on trees. Attendees could harvest fruits and vegetables from the farm, learn about tree planting and care, and could take home a tree to promote tree equity in Leeward O'ahu.
Mahalo to everyone who came to the farm this past year and for all of the support! We look forward to another eventful and exciting year together.
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