Monday, May 3, 2010

Waikiki School Garden Update

We now have 3200 square feet of edible garden space on our campus. This 'Food Farm' includes 65 fruit trees, the 'AINA garden beds, the rainbow garden, an enchanted grove and an outdoor classroom plant nursery.  All of this happened through generous support from our Waikiki students and families, community members, and Kokua Hawaii Foundation.  We were also recently awarded a grant from Lowe's for $3300 to build a plant nursery.  This 'outdoor classroom' will enable students to propagate plants, wash produce and simply have a shady place to talk about growing food.  Other exciting news includes the construction of an aquaponics system in the kindergarten playground, and expansion of our composting to include lunch waste. Stay-tuned for these new updates.

To keep our program going we need volunteers for a variety of on-going tasks:
• Assisting with garden lessons at all grade levels
• Preparing and maintaining ‘AINA garden beds
• Mulching and composting
• Preparing new gardens
• Watering and building water systems
• Construction jobs such as building a tool shed for the plant nursery

There are lots of ways you can volunteer your time from weekly to quarterly events. 
• Weekly and Monthly garden lessons on weekdays (all grades)
• After school Garden club
• Monthly garden parties on Saturdays (bring the whole family)
• Quarterly 'AINA garden parties
• Painting, construction, plumbing
• Grant writing and curriculum development

"Love your Mother Earth" Garden Party

All Waikiki families are welcome to
Join us for an 'AINA In Schools Garden Party

SATURDAY, May 8, 2010
9am- 11am

Please bring your family to work alongside the 'AINA In Schools Garden Educators, to help put our raised garden beds to sleep.
Do you have a wheelbarrow, shovel, pick, bucket, rake, or weeding tools to share?

'AINA IS will provide water to refill your water bottle, and healthy snacks, contributions also welcome!