May 7 is an opportunity for the community to help us at the IHSUF. Bring your garden clothes and some gloves and a hat for sun protection and get your hands dirty with us. We will be laying some sheet mulch to prepare the ground for future planting. We will also be planting some seeds and making container gardens. The IHSUF is located at 546 Kaaahi St., one block ewa at the intersection of Liliha and Dillingham. Join the LEAF Aina Corps, people dedicated to growing healthy local food for everyone. Contact us if you would like to be on the workday schedule, leafhawaii@gmail.com.
IHS Urban Farm Rooftop Taking Shape
LEAF Project is partnered with our good friends at the Institute for Human Services Family and Women’s Kaaahi St. shelter to complete a rooftop garden and learning center for their guests. The idea was the inspiration of LEAF consultant, Jim Hollyer. When Connie Mitchell, Executive Director of IHS, was approached with the idea, she presented it to her Board of Directors, and won overwhelming support and approval to move forward with the rooftop vision. Now it is really taking shape, under the direct care of IHS Operations Manager, Gordon Ortiz, whose enthusiasm for the project knows no bounds. Both aquaponic and hydroponic growing systems will be working side by side in the food production cycle. The plan is to train adults from the homeless population residing at the shelter who are interested in future employment by creating similar rooftops all over the islands to provide healthy food systems everywhere the sun shines upon our beautiful state. That is alot of jobs. Hunger and poverty can be a thing of the past with this innovative project. Contact us if you are interested in helping out in anyway.
LEAF at Earth day Green Market Downtown
LEAF had a table on behalf of IHSUF, the IHS Urban farm project on Earth day, April 22, organized by the Weekly, called the Green Market. Executive Director, David Santistevan met with many interested folks who took seed packets to start their own home garden, and many signed up for IHSUF workdays. Congressman Ed Case dropped by and was applauding the project which addresses hunger alleviation in the practical way that the IHSUF is tackling it, ’solving hunger, one garden, one farm at a time”. Our city could very easily solve hunger when leadership networks with innovative projects like this. The sky is the limit, well maybe the rooftop at least! The Weekly did a great job of bringing together a nice representation from the community of eco-friendly businesses making a big difference in protecting our natural resources.