 When: Thursday, May 9th from 10am-12
Where: Hali'imaile Community Garden
If you are a member and would like access to the garden's power tools, please come to the User Workshop this Thursday, May 9th from 10 am to Noon. The workshop will cover:
1) Experience levels.
2) Safety tips
3) Description of equipment and basic operation.
4) Fuel/oil/air filter basics.
5) Basic maintenance and cleaning.
6) Direct reporting of condition and concerns.
7) Responsibility of security, usage, and procedures.
Equipment user agreements will be available to sign after the workshop. Completion of the workshop and signing the agreement will entitle attending members to the combination to access to the power tools.
There is no charge for the workshop, so come on down and check it out!
About the Instructor: Garden member Mercer has lots to share about using and maintaining the power tools. His workshop last year was most informative! Our own plot manager knew almost nothing about power tools 2 years ago and now not only uses them, but does routine maintenance and simple repairs. She says, "The knowledge gained is useful anywhere, from learning new job skills to do-it-yourself home yard maintenance! It was well worth attending!"
See you there!
Aloha Members, Volunteers, & Supporters! Gathering Dates in May Group Project Party - Saturday, May 11, 2013 9 am - 12 pm Please join Kevin to work on the community herb and papaya garden. We'll be adding compost to the herb garden, trimming, and adding mulch to the papaya garden. Bring paper towel and toilet paper donations and a snack or lunch to share afterwards. Group Project Party - Tuesday, May 28, 2013 1 pm – 4 pm Please join Volkan to weed and trim the community areas of the garden. This may include the orchard, herb garden, native beds, bamboo circle, and/or the Goodwill Gardens. Bring paper towel and toilet paper donations and a snack or lunch to share afterwards. If you are unable to attend group projects, it is your responsibility to ask a council member for an alternate assignment. Alternate assignments provide a meaningful contribution to the garden and depending on your talents may include website content, grant writing, cookbook design, and/or repairs/maintenance around the garden. Members who have not completed two group projects by June 30th will be subject to a $50 additional dues assessment payable by July 31st. We'd really rather have your participation in shaping the garden and comradeship than your money though, so come on down and join us! Individual Volunteer Projects
Projects that we need help with around the garden this month include: - Gluing the loose presswood on the restroom door and/or replacing the door with a new one.
- Placing a layer of manure on the compost pile.
- Removing cane grass root balls along the weed mat on the native fence line.
- Organizing the usable "junk pile" behind the shed. (i.e. rolling up the hoses and tying, sorting wood by type so it's easy to access, etc.)
- Building a new 2'x3' compost sifting screen.
- Routinely weed whacking vacant plots which are not yet covered. See Lori for locations and access to the power tools.
- Hauling rubbish to the dump or other legal disposal site.
Let's Party! Open House and Summer Member Party Our annual summer party is scheduled for Saturday, June 22 from 2 - 6 pm and we will hold open house from 2pm - 4pm. Our plot manager also has a birthday to celebrate! So mark your calendars and plan to get your family and friends and come on down for food and fun! It will be potluck style, so bring a food or beverage to share. We'll provide plates, cups, and forks. Like coordinating and planning parties? We'd love to have you jump in and take on as much as you're comfortable with! Hali'imaile Community Garden's Project Goodwill Garden Sowing It Forward to Feed Maui's Hungry Special thanks to those who turned out and lent a hand! We're thankful for our garden! And we're sowing it forward to give back to the less fortunate in the greater Maui Community! Two garden plots have been designated for growing fresh produce for donations to Maui non-profit programs that feed the hungry. Hale Kau Kau serves a hot meal nightly to those in need and the Maui Food Bank distributes food to various programs that help to feed people. Gardener's gathered On April 2nd to till and prepare a plot for sweet potato planting and a plot for chayote squash. The sweet potato will be a welcome treat, while the chayote will be sufficient to provide an ongoing supply of food! We even received an anonymous donation of $300 to cover the supplies and plot fees (water use and CAM) for these plots! It's amazing how this project went from idea to reality in less than 2 weeks! Many mahalos! Here are some photo's of the plot preparation on April 2nd for sowing it forward to feed the hungry! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.551800798187727.1073741826.178716682162809& And pictures of the planting and new sign on April 9. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.554468324587641.1073741827.178716682162809& And some recent donations to the food bank on April 11th. Wow! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.555167734517700.1073741828.178716682162809& Then a busy member donated the use of his plot for a 3rd Goodwill Garden and it was planted on April 23rd. Now that's a lot of Goodwill! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.559963254038148.1073741830.178716682162809&
Future Members Looking for Rental Home
We're moving to Maui late May. We are still looking for a temp place to stay, preferably in the upcountry area, but open to all places. Need a one or two bedroom, it can be small as we are outside a bunch. If anyone from your community garden knows someone who has any insights, please let me know. We have excellent references and we are honest, happy, non smokers! We are also open for work trade. Thank you in advance and we look forward to being part of the community garden soon! Deborah dmcreative.word@gmail.com or phone at: 727 458 9839
Speakers Wanted
Would you or someone you know make a good speaker for an educational class at the garden? We are now seeking speakers for summer and fall workshops. Send your ideas or inquire with the garden council for more information.
Fencing Available
HCG purchased a 50' roll of economy fencing for the Goodwill Garden and only used 25' of it. Let us know if you would like to split the fencing and cost with HCG. First come, first served.
Grow Your Own Food and Submit a Yummy Recipe!
We're still collecting your printed recipes for the Hali'imaile Community Garden cookbook fundraiser. Please include a photo of your delicious dish and a photo of yourself/family for the cookbook.
Fundraising Committee
The fundraising committee will be reconvening meetings very soon! Our general excise tax exemption was just approved and we should have the last needed documents in place by the end of this month. Stay tuned for more information. When we reconvene, the fundraising committee will be welcoming new members who have ideas and connections to help raise funds for the garden. Satisfactorily serving on this committee fills all volunteerism dues for the year. Contact a councilmember if interested.
Traffic Jams
A few weeks ago, some of you may have encountered vehicles from a party parked in front of the MLP gate blocking access. If you get stuck inside, the only solution is to go to the party neighbor's house and politely ask them to move the vehicles as they are blocking the gate. If you are trying to get in and don't want to bother the neighbors during the party or park in that area, our neighbors just down the road at 108 Leie Street (2 story house) are really cool and you can park outside in the street and walk down their driveway (county fire access easement) on the left of their home towards the metal drums at the rear to access the fire lane that leads past the water meter into the orchard. For occasional special situations this access road can be driven all the way in to the Fredie's horse stable next to the orchard for unloading. Our landscaper parks there when servicing the garden. Please let us know if there are any problems accessing the MLP gate, and remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!
Giant Green Garden Gnome Grinds Weeds
One of the most frustrating parts of gardening for many new gardeners is coming to find weeds have overtaken the garden. It can happen in as little as two weeks. And when crops compete with weeds for soil nutrients and water, they do poorly. Once the weeds get big, they are hard to pull and require hours of hard work, which is counterproductive. However, weeding need not be frustrating or labor intensive. In fact, it's super easy! A whole plot can be weeded in as little as 5 minutes a week, giving the garden a beautiful, professional look and ensuring that all soil nutrients and water are available to the crops you are growing so that you have a high yield of healthy plants. Here's a short video clip with a giant green garden gnome explaining this easy organic gardening technique: http://haliimailegarden.weebly.com/1/post/2013/05/organic-garden-weeding-made-easy.html
Tree Plots Now Available
Remember when it took years to get a tree plot? Well, things are changing! We now have several Polynesian (tree style) plots available. Members in good standing may hold one individual style plot and one tree plot. If you are interested in taking on a tree plot, please contact the plot manager (Lori).
Plots for New Members Now Available
Know someone who wants to garden? A limited number of individual and Polynesian style plots are available for new members interested in producing their own organic food and joining a community keen on working together to make the garden a beautiful, productive place. Experience or a "green thumb" not required; just a desire to be more self-sufficient, work collectively with other gardeners and an appreciation for the pleasures of turning hands to the soil. Let's build up our community! Tell your friends!
Positions of Importance to Fill
Haliimaile Community Garden is looking for individuals to help fill two positions of importance at the garden! Please contact the Garden Council if you are interested! Both of these opportunities are great ways to become more involved at the garden and to get to know your fellow gardeners better!
1) Compost Czar: The compost manager is responsible for tracking compost maintenance and coordinating turning/covering/manuring compost to help provide a rich source of nutrient-rich compost for the use of the garden community. Satisfactorily serving in this position would meet all annual community work participation requirements, and would be a great way to learn more about compost management and help others learn as well.
2)Worm Whisperer: A person who can coordinate the feeding of the worms and the brewing of the tea, a great addition to the garden! The worm manager would track and manage all aspects of management of the worm hotel, as well as coordinating distribution of the tea to interested garden members. This job satisfies all community work requirements as well.
Garden Gnomes Go Food Self-Sufficient
The mission of Hali’imaile Community Garden is to build community around food self-sufficiency. While most of us identify with community building and know how to go about it, food self sufficiency is a bit more evasive.
Last month the gnomes talked about what being food-self sufficient means and shared a few generalized tips. This month, the gnomes will look in depth at succession planting for a continuous food supply.
Succession planting is an agricultural term for a planting method that increases crop availability and makes use of space through efficient timing.
Let’s say you like to eat salad every night. How many heads of lettuce do you need to eat the sized salad you want for each member of your family. Take a look at your grocery purchases and determine what you usually buy each week. Chances are you buy less than you’d really like due to the high cost of food. What do you really need?
Once you’ve determined the number of heads of lettuce you need, take a look at the seed packet to determine how long the crop needs to grow to reach maturity. Most lettuces require 4 – 8 weeks to reach maturity.
So you picked a variety that matures in 6 weeks and you use 6 heads of lettuce a week. To ensure a continuous supply of lettuce for your family, you would want to plant a row of 6 heads of lettuce now, and 6 more heads every week. In 6 weeks, you will harvest the first row. As long as you plant a row of 6 heads of lettuce each week, you will have 6 heads to harvest each week. It’s that simple.
At first, working out the spacing may leave empty rows. Once you harvest the first row, if you immediately plant another row where you harvested the last one you will have a total of 6 rows of lettuce planted at all times that provide you with weekly lettuce. But, remember to rotate the location of crops from time to time also.
What else do you want to eat? How much of it do you need each week? Now lay out a map of your garden and plan space for each of theses items so you can begin succession planting. Keep in mind some crops may be harvested less frequently. Carrots, for example, hold in the fridge for several weeks, so you might plan your succession planting so that there is a harvest of a months supply of carrots once each month. This will cut down on the weekly labor to plant, harvest, and wash your food.
Are there other variables? Of course!
One variable is Maui’s colder winters and warmer summers. Lettuce matures faster in the summer, so you might only need 4 rows. Yet in the winter it takes longer to mature, so you might increase the number of rows. If you find that you have extra or run out, make a note so you can adjust as you go and plan better the following season.
Another variable is unexpected damage from pests, wind, heavy rains, or irrigation problems. While it seems easy to plant and leave things to grow, frequent monitoring is essential to avoiding pest damage and irrigation problems. Checking on the garden twice a week is usually sufficient to spot and take action to correct these problems.
A good rule of thumb is to always plant more than you really need. The gardener in the above example might plant 8 – 10 heads of lettuce a week, rather than the 6 they need to put food on the table. This way when the potato bugs chew at the root of a few heads of lettuce, there will be enough other heads of lettuce to keep salad on your table. And if all grows well, you’ll just have extra to share with neighbors, coworkers, and friends. The food bank is always looking for fresh produce as well.
As you can see, food self-sufficient growing requires your presence at least once a week, not only to harvest your groceries for the week, but also to plant the next set of seeds and starts, weed, and check for irrigation and pests. For a standard sized plot at Hali’imaile Community Garden, this can be done easily in 2 – 4 hours a week once everything is established.
Stay tuned! Next month the gnomes are going to share about the benefits and cost savings of growing vs. buying produce.
A Few Important Reminders!
Rocks - Please keep rocks out of the common areas, plots, and pathways and take any found to the rock pile by the green house.Common Areas & Pathways - Please keep all personal materials within the boundaries of your assigned plot. HCG Gate - Remember to lock up no matter the time of day if you are last vehicle to leaving the garden. MLP Gate - Remember to lock the MLP gate behind you every time you pass through it. It must remain locked at all times. Water - Please kokua and use only what is absolutely necessary and report any wasteful activity to the garden council. Much Mahalo! Garden Council Because the garden is large and has a diverse membership, it is the responsibility of the garden council to establish routines and oversee the garden plan. However, you are the source of valuable ideas and visions for things to add and/or improve at the garden! Members are always encouraged to provide feedback, share concerns, ideas, suggestions, and visions for the garden. We're always looking for leaders who are interested in leading project days or have interest in overseeing special projects. In addition, an annual general membership meeting is held each January and special meetings of the general membership may be called when issues arise which affect and require the input and feedback of the general membership. The council wants to hear from you and is always available for your questions, concerns, ideas, visions for the garden, and suggestions at haliimailegarden@gmail.com. Kevin, Lori, and Volkan all receive and read the incoming mails at this address. We do our best to respond quickly. Facebook "Like" us on Facebook to keep in touch with other gardeners and announcements at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haliimaile-Community-Garden/178716682162809
Mahalos! - To all those who contributed time, supplies, and money towards the creation of the Goodwill Garden! You're awesome!
- To our group project folks who rebuilt our compost bin wall nice and strong! That particular wall was long in the coming and looks super now!
- To our landscaper, Chris, and his partners who keep the garden looking so beautiful!
- To our garden council for countless hours helping other members, coordinating things, and ensuring the longevity of the garden for all!
See you at the garden!
Aloha Members, Volunteers, & Supporters! Gathering Dates in April Group Project Party - Saturday, April 13, 2013 9 am - 12 pm Please join Kevin to add a 3 - 4" layer of compost to the herb garden. Bring paper towel and toilet paper donations and a snack or lunch to share afterwards. Group Project Party - Thursday, April 25, 2013 10 am – 1 pm Please join Volkan to clean up the area behind the wood pile and replace the compost bin wall on the far right with new pallets. Bring paper towel and toilet paper donations and a snack or lunch to share afterwards. Plates and forks will be provided. If you missed attending a group project in the first quarter, please plan on attending at least two projects prior to the end of the second quarter. If you are unable to attend group projects, it is your responsibility to ask a council member for an alternate assignment. Alternate assignments provide a meaningful contribution to the garden and depending on your talents may include website content, grant writing, cookbook design, and/or repairs/maintenance around the garden. Members who have not completed two group projects by June 30th will be subject to a $50 additional dues assessment payable by July 31st. We'd really rather have your participation in shaping the garden and comradeship than your money though, so come on down and join us! Feeding the Hungry of Maui Community Two plots have been aside for growing things for fundraisers and donations to Hale Kau Kau and/or the Food Bank. One is scheduled for sweet potato planting and the other chayote and/or carrots as these items do not require much water and will transport well and hold. We will use these plots for this purpose as long as they are vacant. Join Lori, who is planning to start adding compost, tilling, and designing the first plot next week Tuesday, April 2nd, at 11 am if you are interested in joining this worthwhile project! If time permits, sweet potato starts will be planted. Want to help hand water until the starts take after they are planted? Contact Lori to coordinate watering. Individual Volunteer Projects
Projects that we need help with around the garden this month include: - Packing and hauling way rubbish (including restroom rubbish cans). There is a bag in the parking lot that needs to be hauled away and dumped.
- Gluing the loose presswood on the restroom door and/or replacing the door with a new one.
Grand Award Kitchen Gardeners International awarded a Sow It Forward Grant to Hali'imaile Community Garden. KGI is a nonprofit community of 29,000 people who are growing some of our own food and helping others to do the same. Our grant proposal faced tough competition. The Sow It Forward program received over 920 applications from 48 states and 11 countries for only 80 available grants. Hali'imaile Community Garden is honored to be one of the 80! For a complete list of grant recipients, see: http://kgi.org/garden-grants-2013
In Memory of Kancyano Paul
Kancyano Paul passed away at home in Pohnpei at age 63. He was an integral part of our garden community, dedicating many hours to his plots and maintaining the community areas of the garden. We will miss him very much!
Grow Your Own Food and Submit a Yummy Recipe!
We're still collecting your printed recipes for the Hali'imaile Community Garden cookbook fundraiser. Please include a photo of your delicious dish and a photo of yourself/family for the cookbook.
Plots Now Available
Know someone who wants to garden? A limited number of individual and Polynesian style plots are available for new members interested in producing their own organic food and joining a community keen on working together to make the garden a beautiful, productive place. Experience or a "green thumb" not required; just a desire to be more self-sufficient, work collectively with other gardeners and an appreciation for the pleasures of turning hands to the soil. Let's build up our community! Tell your friends!
Garden Gnomes Go Food Self-Sufficient
The mission of Hali’imaile Community Garden is to build community around food self-sufficiency. While most of us identify with community building and know how to go about it, food self sufficiency is a bit more evasive.
Being food self-sufficient means being able to supply food for your own and/or your families own needs without external assistance from grocery stores, farmers markets, and other food distributors and retailers. Most gardeners plant a crop and when it’s time to harvest, they have more of one or two things than they know what to do with and little variety. In between, there is nothing and food must be bought at the store.
With careful planning, it is possible to reduce and/or eliminate your fruit and vegetable purchase while eating a wide abundance of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables that would escape possibility with even the most generous food budget.
While being food self-sufficient is a big undertaking, it need not be difficult. In fact, with some practice and experience it becomes an automatic routine that is an enjoyable part of life where hands are turned to the soil and nourishing plants are cared for and lovingly tended in a relaxing and nurturing space.
Fortunately, we can grow all year in Hawaii, so we don’t have to think about the complexities of canning and storing sufficient supplies for the winter. We only have to figure out what we would like to eat each week, figure out how much space is required, plant enough to provide the right amount of food for our needs, and plant routinely to ensure a continuous supply.
One standard 10’ x 20’ plot at Hali’imaile Community Garden is sufficient to provide a continuous supply of most vegetables for one person, while community herbs and fruit trees supplement remaining produce needs.
Here are a few simple steps to get started:
Plant What You Eat – It’s fun to look at heirloom seeds, and try different gardening principals, but when it comes down it to feeding yourself what really matters is maximizing production in your space. If you like to experiment and try rare plants, consider dedicating one small area of the garden for this while you produce routinely consumed food in the remainder.
Plant Continuously – If you want to harvest and eat every week, you will need to plant regularly. Many crops that are quickly harvested and needed weekly can be planted in succession, planting a row or bed every 2-3 weeks so that a new crop is continually available. These crops include things like lettuce, radish, and spinach. Some longer lasting plants like chard and kale allow you to remove outer leaves while the inner leaves grow in, thus can be planted every 2 to 3 months. The new crop should be planted in another bed or row of the garden early enough so that when the last crop is finished, the new one is ready. Other crops can be grown periodically and harvested and stored several weeks or months while the next crop is growing; these include beets, carrots, onion, and potato.
Grow with the Season - While we have mild winters in Hali’imaile, we definitely have crops that flourish either in winter or summer. While a summer crop of tomato may produce more tomato than your family can consume, the same crop planted in the winter may produce little to nothing. Consider planting heat loving crops like tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, and corn in May for a nice summer crop and turning to colder weather vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, and cauliflower in the winter.
Be Adaptable – Sometimes things are out of our control. An aphid infestation may ruin a crop before it can be saved. Succession planting keeps favorite vegetables coming in regularly. Consider floating row covers to ward off pests and limit excess summer sun with shade cloth. Check plants weekly for signs of pests and stress.
Be Consistent – Consistency is key when gardening for food self-sufficiency. Commit to spending at least half a day in the garden every week. Let’s face it; if you’re not in your garden to harvest at least once a week, you can’t be eating in a self-sufficient manner from it. We all have other obligations to meet, so reserve a regular gardening time on your personal schedule every week to weed, trim, plant, and harvest.
Keep Records – It may seem overbearing, but keeping track of what was planted when and whether you ran out or had excess can be immensely helpful when determining when to seed the next planting. There is no tried and true method as we all eat differently amounts and types of food based on our personal dietary habits, time dedicated to food preparation, and preferences. Keeping a journal can not only help with quantity, but also with determining which variety of seeds does best or is most enjoyed by the family.
A Few Important Reminders! Rocks - Please keep rocks out of the common areas, plots, and pathways and take any found to the rock pile by the green house. Common Areas & Pathways - Please keep all personal materials within the boundaries of your assigned plot. HCG Gate - Remember to lock up no matter the time of day if you are last vehicle to leaving the garden. MLP Gate - Remember to lock the MLP gate behind you every time you pass through it. It must remain locked at all times. Water - Please kokua and use only what is absolutely necessary and report any wasteful activity to the garden council. Much Mahalo! Garden Council Because the garden is large and has a diverse membership, it is the responsibility of the garden council to establish routines and oversee the garden plan. But, you are the source of valuable ideas and visions for things to add and/or improve at the garden! Members are always encouraged to provide feedback, share concerns, ideas, suggestions, and visions for the garden. In addition, an annual general membership meeting is held each January and special meetings of the general membership may be called when issues arise which affect and require the input and feedback of the general membership. The council wants to hear from you! The garden council is always available for your questions, concerns, ideas, visions for the garden, and suggestions at haliimailegarden@gmail.com. Kevin, Lori, and Volkan all receive and read the incoming mails at this address. We do our best to respond quickly. Facebook "Like" us on Facebook to keep in touch with other gardeners and announcements at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haliimaile-Community-Garden/178716682162809 Mahalos! - To Olga for donating pallets which we needed to repair our rotting wall in one of the compost bins. We can't wait to get to work!
- To David for volunteering to build a new small screen for the compost bins.
- Lori for writing the winning grant to raise funds for the garden!
- Pam for suggesting we find a way to donate to Hale Kau Kau and the Maui Food Bank. What a great idea!
See you at the garden!
Aloha Members, Waitlisters, Volunteers, & Supporters! Grow Your Own Food and Submit a Yummy Recipe!
Your yummy recipe is for any dish made with one primary ingredient grown at your Hali'imaile Community Garden. All submitted recipes will be included in the new Hali'imaile Community Garden Cookbook, which is fundraiser scheduled for publication in 2014.
In the near future, we will have a Grow Your Own Cook-off Contest. Maui Now culinary scene writer and garden member Vanessa Wolf, a former head chef from Portland, Oregon, will select five winners who will compete against 5 professional chefs at the HCG Grow Your Own Cook-Off public event & fundraiser. Details will follow.
For now, bring your printed recipe or email it to the garden council and let's get cooking! Please include a photo of your delicious dish and a photo of yourself/family.
Gathering Dates in March Group Project Day - Saturday, March 9, 2013 10 am - 1 pm Please join Kevin to work on the native fenceline and matting/mulching common pathways between plots. Jonathan has already put some work into some of the pathways and they are looking wonderful! Bring a snack or lunch to share afterwards. Group Project Day - Thursday, March 14, 2013 10 am – 1 pm Please join Volkan and Lori to fertilize the orchard. We had a soil test done and will be adding the missing fertilizers and amendments that are needed to make the orchard productive. Bring a snack or lunch to share afterwards. Plates and forks will be provided. These are the last two volunteer days this quarter. All members should plan on attending one of them if you have not completed at least one volunteer project day this quarter. If you are unable to attend either date, it is your responsibility to ask a council member for an alternate assignment. Alternate assignments provide a meaningful contribution to the garden and depending on your talents may include website content, grant writing, cookbook design, and/or repairs/maintenance around the garden. Individual Volunteer Projects
Projects that we need help with around the garden this month include: - Removing weeds and cane grass from the weed matting & sweeping the dirt off the mat along the native fenceline that runs from the herb garden up to the orchard along the right side of the garden.
- Packing rubbish for hauling (including restroom rubbish cans).
- Removing grass roots from the carpeting in front of the outhouse.
- Gluing the loose presswood on the restroom door.
- Hauling rubbish.
- Have new ideas or visions for something to do or improve at the garden? Let us know!
Video Interview @ Hali'imaile Community Garden
YBEAM's Sonny Perez Interviews Kevin Harrington at Hali'imaile Community Garden in this Video. Great job Sonny and Kevin!
http://mauitube.vericorder.tv/embed.php?cm=714
New Numbered Valves To make identifying leaks and closed valves easier, the water shut off values on the maps are now numbered. The new maps will be posted shortly on the bulletin board. When reporting leaks, please identify the valve that was closed and the plot number closest to the leak. Mahalo to Deva for this great suggestion! Orchard Fertilizing A recent soil test showed that the orchard is deficient in lime, nitrogen, boron, and iron. This is why the trees have been struggling. We added some lime and plan to add the rest of the needed organic nutrients per the ag labs recommendations at the project day on the 14th of this month. We're already seeing new growth on the trees with just the lime. Yay! If anyone has boric acid, ferrous sulfate, fish meal, or ag lime (oyster shell flour or dolomite) to donate, the orchard would greatly appreciate it! As these fertilizers and amendments need to be added every 6 months, we'll budget for them in the future so the orchard will be forever fruitful! Garden Gnomes Grow Great Greens! Just like we feed our body daily, our soil needs regular feeding. Like the failure to thrive in the orchard, one of the most common complaints is that plant growth is stunted or that the first crop did well and now the second planting is struggling. Due to the surrounding eucalyptus, the garden has high magnesium in the soil and insufficient lime (calcium) and nitrogen. While a $25 soil sample is the best way to go, a good rule of thumb is to always add calcium each time you plant. Oyster shell flour or dolomite can be readily found in 50lb bags for $12 - $13. Each bag is enough to treat 2 plots. These liming agents can be applied to the soil surface for existing or long-term crops and watered in as well as tilled in when planting new crops. The lime is essential to the plant's ability to uptake essential nutrients. For nitrogen, organic fish meal is a great source, as is alfalfa meal. A nitrogen source should be regularly applied. Liquid fish emulsion can be sprayed on plant leaves or watered in for a 'quick fix'. A layer of manure with each planting will keep lots of good organic matter in the soil and reduce nematodes and other problems. We have been happy with the results from this and say that crops prove to grow beautifully at HCG with the these soil amendments and fertilizers. Happy Growing! The Garden Gnomes A Few Important Reminders! Alcoholic Beverages - Please enjoy your alcoholic beverages at home. Drugs and alcohol are not allowed at the garden. Rocks - Please keep rocks out of the common areas, plots, and pathways and take any found to the rock pile by the green house. Common Areas & Pathways - Please keep all personal materials within the boundaries of your assigned plot. Weeds - Please keep paths and common areas free of weeds and take all your weeds to the compost pile as soon as you pull them. HCG Gate - Remember to lock up no matter the time of day if you are last vehicle to leaving the garden. MLP Gate - Remember to lock the MLP gate behind you every time you pass through it. It must remain locked at all times. Water - Please kokua and use only what is absolutely necessary and report any wasteful activity to the garden council. Much Mahalo! Compost Czar Position Open This position is still open and is a crucial part of the garden experience! Hali'imaile Community Garden is looking for an individual to fill a position of importance as Compost Czar at the garden. The Compost Czar is responsible for tracking compost maintenance and coordinating turning/covering/manuring to help provide a rich source of nutrient-rich compost for the use of the garden community. Satisfactorily serving in this position would meet all annual community service dues requirements, and would be a great way to learn more about compost management and help others learn as well. Please contact the Garden Council if you are interested. Garden Council
The garden council is always available for your questions, concerns, ideas, visions for the garden, and suggestions at haliimailegarden@gmail.com. Kevin, Lori, and Volkan all receive and read the incoming mails at this address. We do our best to respond quickly. Facebook "Like" us on Facebook to keep in touch with other gardeners and announcements at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haliimaile-Community-Garden/178716682162809
Mahalos! - Say thanks to Jhonatan for the beautiful job mulching many of common pathways between plots! They looks so nice and low maintenance!
- Thanks to volunteers Dan and Sarah for volunteering their time on two group projects and braving the 'monsoon' to help out around the garden last month! We greatly appreciate the repairs and maintenance help!
Happy Gardening!
Group Project Day & Party - Thursday, February 21, 2013 10 am – 1 pm
There are only 3 more chances to get your group project day in this quarter. Group projects are a great time to get to know your fellow gardeners and non-member volunteers while doing something good for the garden!
Please come to the garden on Thursday and join Volkan to work on the native gardens and bamboo circle. We'll be weeding, trimming, and mulching. Bring your favorite hand tools and donations of toilet paper, paper towels, and supplies for the bathroom. We may also be doing routine maintenance (cleaning shed, bathroom, packing and hauling the rubbish, etc.)
We'll be collecting recipes for the Hali'imaile Community Garden cookbook fundraiser too, so bring a printed recipes to contribute along with something to share for a mini potluck lunch afterwards.
See you there!
February Announcements
Aloha Members, Waitlisters, & Supporters! A warm welcome to new members Brian, Julian, Bill, and Pam! We're glad to have you on board!
Gathering Dates in February
Group Project Day - Saturday, February 9, 2013 9 am - Noon
Join Kevin to work on the compost bins. We'll be repairing the bin walls, rotating bins, turning compost, and adding manure to get it cooking hot! We may also be doing routine maintenance (cleaning shed, bathroom, packing and hauling the rubbish, etc.) Bring a snack to share during the project if you'd like. See you there!
Group Project Day - Thursday, February 21, 2013 10 am – 1 pm Join Volkan to work on the native gardens and bamboo circle. We'll be weeding, trimming, and mulching. Bring your favorite hand tools and a snack to share! We'll also be doing routine maintenance (cleaning shed, bathroom, packing and hauling the rubbish, etc.) Bring a dish to share for a mini potluck afterwards. See you there!
Individual Volunteer Projects
Projects that we need help with around the garden this month include: - Removing weeds and cane grass from the weed matting & sweeping the dirt off the mat along the native fenceline that runs from the herb garden up to the orchard along the right side of the garden.
- Packing rubbish for hauling (including restroom rubbish cans).
- Hauling rubbish.
- Have new ideas or visions for something to do or improve at the garden? Let us know!
Grants
Mahalo to Lori and Vanessa for writing a winning grant proposal. The garden received notification that the grant proposal will receive an award for $3,000 towards our program expenses that are not covered by the membership dues! Way to go ladies!
Tips for Plant Growth at HCG from the Garden Gnomes
We'd like to extend a big MAHALO to proir member and agriculturist Mike for these tried and true tips to quick food production that help us to meet our mission of building community around food self-sufficiency. Mike taught us how to use animals, people, and plants as a natural system that produces a continual abundance of food and allows organic plants to grow fast and be harvested quickly.
Soil Preparation - Soil preparation is often referred to as amending, or adding amendments, which includes compost, manure, and a source of calcium (lime) mixed into the soil before each planting. Due to the highsoil magnesium contant at Hali'imaile Community Garden, a source of lime(calcium) is essential to nutrient uptake by plants. This feeds the soil so it can feed the plants. Here is a tried and true method to preparing the earth at Hali'imaile Community Garden. Planting may begin right away and food will be ready for harvesting in a few short weeks. - Till the soil well.
- Add 2 inches of manure. Compost can be added in addition if you'd like.
- Add a layer of calcium (lime), roughly 12 -25 pounds for a standard 10'x20' plot. Oyster shell flour is both an inexpensive and effective agricultural lime – i.e. source of calcium. Dolomite is another organic option.
- Till again to mix amendments in thoroughly.
You may begin to plant right away, though some prefer to wait a few days to let the manure settle in. This method assures a rich supply of organic matter in the soil that will nourish plants and encourage strong growth.
Improving Our Garden
We value your input into our garden! If you have new ideas or visions for something to do or improve at the garden, let us know!
New Access Gate
Paved roads are in our future! Here is the new route we will soon be taking to access the garden. Note that, per our landlord, the MLP (Maui Land & Pine) gate will need to be locked behind you each time you pass through, irregardless of whether someone is at the garden. This will prevent others from accessing our neighbors' lands. Thus, we will need to meet guests, visitors, and service trucks at the gate to open it for them as they arrive. The HCG gate, on the other hand, may remain open as usual when at the garden and locked by the last person to leave. Please drive very slowly and be especially conscious of our neighbors and keiki as you drive through the neighborhood. As soon as everything is confirmed and we have the combinations set up for the MLP gate, you will receive another email with the details. As noted before, this will likely occur on Tuesday. If you have any difficulty accessing the garden between now and then, please let us know.
Gate & Shed Code Change
The gate, shed, and wheelbarrow codes will be changing on the afternoon of Thursday, January 31st to coincide with the due date of 2013 plot fees. Those of you who have paid your 2013 membership dues and have email, please check your email the day before to obtain the new codes. If you don't have email, you will receive a phone call or be given the codes when you pay your plot fees. As a reminder, the code is for your personal use only. If anyone asks you for the code, even if you know them to be a member, please refer them to the garden council to obtain the code.
Water
Mahalo everyone for reducing water use! Our bill has come down significantly over the last billing cycle. Please keep up the conscious water reduction, especially as we are now enjoying the nightly rains!
Tips for Plant Growth at HCG from the Garden Gnomes
We'd like to extend a big MAHALO to proir member and agriculturist Mike for these tried and true tips to quick food production that help us to meet our mission of building community around food self-sufficiency. Mike taught us how to use animals, people, and plants as a natural system that produces a continual abundance of food and allows organic plants to grow fast and be harvested quickly.
Soil Preparation - Soil preparation is often referred to as amending, or adding amendments, which includes compost, manure, and a source of calcium (lime) mixed into the soil before each planting. Due to the highsoil magnesium contant at Hali'imaile Community Garden, a source of lime(calcium) is essential to nutrient uptake by plants. This feeds the soil so it can feed the plants. Here is a tried and true method to preparing the earth at Hali'imaile Community Garden. Planting may begin right away and food will be ready for harvesting in a few short weeks. - Till the soil well.
- Add 2 inches of manure. Compost can be added in addition if you'd like.
- Add a layer of calcium (lime), roughly 12 -25 pounds for a standard 10'x20' plot. Oyster shell flour is both an inexpensive and effective agricultural lime – i.e. source of calcium. Dolomite is another organic option.
- Till again to mix amendments in thoroughly.
You may begin to plant right away, though some prefer to wait a few days to let the manure settle in. This method assures a rich supply of organic matter in the soil that will nourish plants and encourage strong growth.
A Few Important Reminders!
Alcoholic Beverages - Please enjoy your alcoholic beverages at home. Drugs and alcohol are not allowed at the garden.
Rocks - Please keep rocks out of the common areas, plots, and pathways and take any found to the rock pile by the green house.
Common Areas & Pathways - Please keep all personal materials within the boundaries of your assigned plot.
Weeds - Please keep paths and common areas free of weeds and take all your weeds to the compost pile as soon as you pull them.
HCG Gate - Remember to lock up no matter the time of day if you are last vehicle to leaving the garden.
MLP Gate - Remember to lock the MLP gate every time you pass through it. It must remain locked at all times.
Water - Please kokua and use only what is absolutely necessary and report any wasteful activity to the garden council. Much Mahalo!
Compost Czar Position Open
This position is still open and is a crucial part of the garden experience! Hali'imaile Community Garden is looking for an individual to fill a position of importance as Compost Czar at the garden. The Compost Czar is responsible for tracking compost maintenance and coordinating turning/covering/manuring to help provide a rich source of nutrient-rich compost for the use of the garden community. Satisfactorily serving in this position would meet all annual community service dues requirements, and would be a great way to learn more about compost management and help others learn as well. Please contact the Garden Council if you are interested.
Garden Council
The garden council is always available for your questions, concerns, ideas, visions for the garden, and suggestions at haliimailegarden@gmail.com. Kevin, Lori, and Volkan all receive and read the incoming mails at this address. We do our best to respond quickly.
Facebook
"Like" us on Facebook to keep in touch with other gardeners and announcements at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haliimaile-Community-Garden/178716682162809
Mahalos! - Many mahalos to Jhonatan and Matt for doing a super job matting and mulching pathways between plots where cane grass was creeping in!
- Thank you to those who have brought restroom supplies and toilet paper for the outhouse!
- Mahalo to Lori and Vanessa for writing a grant proposal that won the garden an award of $3,000
Happy Gardening!
Aloha Members, Waitlisters, & Supporters!
Welcome to new members Honey & Lucas! We're glad you joined us! Please join us in November for our: - Group Project Day - Saturday, November 3rd, 9 am - 12 pm
- Group Project Day - Monday, November 12th, 3 pm - 6 pm
Group Project Day - Saturday, November 3rd, 9 am - 12 pm
We will continue to work on the native fenceline, removing cane grass, prune trees, and sweep up the mat. If time and participation permits, we will then work on trenching to bury the papaya tree irrigation lines in the orchard and tending the orchard in general.
Group Project Day - Monday, November 12th, 3 pm - 6 pm
We will continue to work on the native fenceline, removing cane grass, prune trees, and sweep up the mat. If time and participation permits, we will then work on trenching to bury the papaya tree irrigation lines in the orchard and tending the orchard in general.
Photo's from the Group Project & Social on October 16th
What a treat at the social after the group project on October 16th! Jennifer made a delicious key lime pie! Kudos! Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.476948989006242.113524.178716682162809& Fundraising Committee
Mahalo to Saundra, Karen, Vanessa, Kevin, & Lori for taking on raising funds for the garden! They
brainstormed and are off to a good start gathering information about potential fundraising partners for next year. Stay tuned for announcements on upcoming events!
Successful Expo at Queen Kaahumanu Center
Mahalo to David, Gina, Lily, Saundra, Anita, Courtney, Ezra, Kevin, Lori, & anyone not mentioned who contributed to the great success of HCG's table at Queen Kaahumanu Center last weekend! We had lots of fun, met great people in the community, and came back with a list of people interested in volunteering from the community as well as a list of people interested in joining the garden and growing! Special thanks to Meri for donating the use of her 'Eating Well' picture, and to Stuart at Tri-Isle, and the County of Maui's volunteer program! Photographs of the event may be found at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.481148048586336.114401.178716682162809&&l=78e56a0757 Important Reminders!
No Alcohol - There have been reports of possible drinking of alcoholic beverages at the garden over the weekends. Please enjoy your alcoholic beverages at home, as drugs and alcohol are not allowed at the garden under the HCG's rules. Anyone caught or reported drinking alcoholic beverages on HCG's property may be subject to immediate suspension and/or loss of gardening privileges. Mahalo for your Kokua!
Rocketing Rocks - If you find rocks in your plot while gardening, please take them down to the rock pile next to the green house before leaving each day. Recently, a number of rocks have been tossed out of plots into the pathways and native fenceline. Rocks create a serious equipment and personal injury hazard when struck by power tools. Not only do the rocks damage the tools, but they may take flight when hit by power tools and strike someone. Rocks have cost the garden hundreds of dollars in equipment repairs this year. Thankfully, we've had no personal injuries. Let's put the rocks where they belong and keep it that way. Stay safe! Mahalo!
Personal Materials in Pathways - Please keep all personal materials, including buckets, chairs, and irrigation lines within the boundaries of your plot. It's okay, of course, to temporarily use the pathways when actively working on a plot. Before leaving for the day, however, be sure to put the garden's supplies back where they belong and place all personal belongings back within the boundaries of the plot so the paths are kept clear for others' passage, equipment, and maintenance. Anything found in common areas or pathways near plots will be subject to removal. Thanks!
Weeds - Please take all your weeds to the compost pile as soon as you pull them. Weed matter left in the pathways interferes with common area maintenance. It is often difficult to see and easily gets tangled in the lawn mower and stalls the engine, potentially causing a break down. Any weed piles found outside your plot will be returned to your plot for you to take to the compost bin. It only takes a minute to walk down to the compost bin, so lets keep the garden safe and beautiful for our members and guests!
Lock the Gate - The gate has been found open several times when no one else is at the garden. For safety and security, please lock the gate when you are the last car to leave. It doesn't matter if anyone else is at the garden, as foot traffic often leaves through the orchard. If in doubt, always lock the gate. Departing members can always reopen it to exit. Let's help to keep our garden safe and secure!
Time for Some Fun at the December Potluck!
Each year in December, the garden has a potluck for members, guests, and their families and friends. This is a purely social event and time for us to get to know one another better and share ono grinds! Stay tuned for details!
Garden Gnomes Make Fruit Fly Traps
The garden gnomes are joining the University of Hawaii Master Gardener's this month to talk about making fruit fly traps. These traps are made with repurposed plastic water or soda bottles and do not require a killing agent, as flies find their way into the trap by going up through the mouth of the bottle and usually have difficulty finding a way out. These are super easy to maintain and are quite effective to reduce fruit fly populations, thus preserving squash, tomatoes, and other fruiting crops that fruit flies like.
We have GF-120 Fruit Fly Bait Concentrate in the shed at Hali'imaile Community Garden. GF-120 is a combination of an earth friendly protein bait and spinosad insecticide approved for use with restrictions in organic crop production by the Organic Management Research Institute (OMRI). GF-120 is approved for use at the garden as a bait for fruit fly traps only. For clarity and the safety of members and our keiki, GF-120 may not be used as a spray solution or applied directly to any crop at the garden. In order to catch and kill both male and female fruit flies, rather than using a lure the GF-120 is "painted" on the inside the bottle as directed below and replenished every 7 days.
Let's make a trap!
1. Cut plastic bottle in half crosswise 1/4 of an inch below the end of the upper curve. The cut ends should be of equal diameter.
2. Wearing gloves, prepare a 12" flexible utility wire (to see if fruit flies are attracted, thus present. Or, paint the inside of the bottle with 1 part GF-120 to 4 parts water to kill fruit flies (replace every 7 days).
3. Drill a hole through the bottom of the bottle.
4. Insert the other end of the wire in the hole from inside the bottle so that the lure (if applicable) is in the bottle. Do not mix lures for different flies.
5. Holding the bottle upside down with the cut end on the bottom, insert the top end of the other half of the bottle with the bottle mouth facing upward so that it is inside the bottle with the lure. Make sure that the lure does not obstruct the bottle mouth opening, as this is where the fruit flies will enter.
6. Hang in a semi-shady area where fruit flies are commonly seen. Trees and fences make good locations. That's it! Now just monitor the traps, empty fruit flies, and replenish the bait every 7 days.
Compost Czar Position Open
Do you like composting? How about taking on the management of the compost bins? Hali'imaile Community Garden is looking for an individual to fill a position of importance as Compost Czar at the garden. The Compost Czar is responsible for tracking compost maintenance and coordinating turning/covering/manuring to help provide a rich source of nutrient-rich compost for the use of the garden community. Satisfactorily serving in this position would meet all annual community work participation requirements, and would be a great way to learn more about compost management and help others learn as well. Please contact the Garden Council if you are interested.
Individual Volunteer Projects
Projects that we need help with around the garden this month include: - Checking the shed and or bathroom and cleaning/organizing as needed.
- Picking up the rubbish along the driveway from the gate to the garden entrance.
- Removing weeds and cane grass from the weed matting & sweeping the dirt off the mat along the native fenceline that runs from the herb garden up to the orchard along the right side of the garden.
- General pruning and clean up in the orchard, including trenching and burying the papaya tree irrigation lines.
- Installing 2 signs on the driveway (digging a post hole and pouring cement for one & drilling holes and bolting the other on the gate). Contact Lori to make arrangements to help with this project and obtain the signs and materials.
Garden Council
The garden council is always available for your questions, concerns, ideas, visions for the garden, and suggestions at haliimailegarden@gmail.com. Ezra, Lori, & Kevin all receive and read the incoming mails at this address. We do our best to respond quickly.
Facebook
"Like" us on Facebook to keep in touch with other gardeners and announcements at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haliimaile-Community-Garden/178716682162809
Mahalos! - Many mahalos to David and Saundra for cutting, priming, and painting wood for our new signs we will be making at the volunteer expo!
- Much mahalo to Saundra for taking on the committee leader position for our new fundraising committee. Mahalo to the new members of the committee who will be helping to raise funds for the garden too!
- A big round of applause to Mike for teaching the gardening workshops this month and to the University Master Gardener program for leading a free workshop on making fruit fly pheromone traps! This knowledge will go a long way!
Happy Gardening!
 Group Project Day & Jackfruit Harvest
Tuesday, August 21st, 12 pm - 3 pm
New starts for the herb garden will be arriving on Tuesday morning! Come join us for a spontaneous group project. We will be planting the new herb garden and working on other miscellaneous projects at noon on Tuesday. Bring smooth stones, black paint, black magic markers, and fine tipped brushes to make markers for the herbs (see picture below). If you have herb starts you would like to donate to the herb garden, please coordinate in advance with the plot manager (Lori) to ensure there is enough space and variety of herbs.
After the project there will be ripe jack fruit to harvest and share. If you've never had a jack fruit, you're in for a real treat! Come learn how to pick and eat the fruit, plus cook and eat the seeds. Bring newspaper to work on, a knife, disposable or rubber gloves, and a container to take some fruit home.
This is a great opportunity for those of you who need to get in a group project day in before the September 30th deadline as there are only two more regularly scheduled project days coming up in September. Meet your neighbors and share the fruit and fun!
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