Mahalo to Oʻahu County Administrator Jari Sugano and the fabulous folks at the Urban Garden Center (UGC) in Pearl City for helping CTAHR and the UH community thank UH System President David Lassner.

Over 60 volunteers from CTAHR and the local community came together on December 10 to plant kupuna kalo back into the ‘āina at the Waimānalo Research Station (WRS). This workday supported ongoing efforts to support Dean Grewal’s new CARES initiative to build stronger relationships between CTAHR and the Waimānalo community.

This summer, youths across the state learned and cooked their way through “4-H Camp Kau Kau,” a new week-long summer culinary camp from CTAHR’s 4-H Youth Development Program. Recipes and lessons focused on the context and diversity of local food in Hawai‘i, with hands-on cooking experiences and educational activities about Hawai‘i’s food and agricultural history.

When CTAHR serves the community, and the community helps the College, everybody wins. The Mānana ahupuaʻa is home to several new food-growing systems after Oʻahu County Extension wrapped up its third annual summer workday series at the Urban Garden Center. 

The Urban Garden Center is more than a green oasis that calls to commuters as they drive through Pearl City. It’s a living classroom where community growers and gardeners can learn how to keep plants — and the environment — healthy and beautiful.