News and Events


«March 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
26272829123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
1234567

Feeding Moloka‘i

Feeding Moloka‘i 9 April 2020

Feeding Moloka‘i

Extension agent helps keep the Friendly Isle fed now and into the future

Cooperative Extension is pursuing a variety of ways to help communities and stakeholders hit hard by the pandemic. On Moloka‘i, food security is paramount. The largest grocery story on the island is under a 14-day quarantine, and students who depended on free or reduced-price school lunches are struggling. But Extension agent Glenn Teves is hard at work on short- and long-term solutions.

Pigs and Papaya

Pigs and Papaya 8 April 2020

Pigs and Papaya

CTAHR Extension is helping two industries save each other

The pig farmers had no feed for their pigs. The papaya farmers had no market for their papayas. But CTAHR brought them together. Extension livestock agent Mike DuPonte, a member of the Hawaii Island Pork Association, is coordinating with Hawaii Papaya Industry Association president Eric Weinert to feed surplus papayas to the pigs.

Drones and Gripper Claws

Drones and Gripper Claws 8 April 2020

Drones and Gripper Claws

J.B. Friday is quoted in Hana Hou magazine

UH Hilo professor Ryan Perroy attached a special pruning saw and gripper claw to a drone to collect samples of ROD-infected ‘ōhi‘a lehua. He won a $70,000 prize for the “Kūkūau,” as he has named the device, in the ‘Ōhi‘a Challenge to develop an innovation to help stop ROD.

Preparing for Wildfire

Preparing for Wildfire 8 April 2020

Preparing for Wildfire

Join a national online conference on natural resource management

Join the third installment in a series of nine webinars of the Renewable Resources Extension Act, “Engaging Local Communities to Restore Fire-Adapted Ecosystems,” on Thursday, April 23, 7:00 a.m. Hawai‘i time (1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time). It will discuss how to help forest and rangeland managers maintain ecologically resilient landscapes and fire-safe communities.

Selecting a Garden Site

Selecting a Garden Site 6 April 2020

Selecting a Garden Site

The rewards are definitely worth the effort

Hawai‘i has an array of soils and climates, with no one-size-fits-all answer for selecting a garden site. The first consideration is access to water, especially in a fairly dry area. The site should also be free from large rocks and tree stumps, with good sun exposure, not be shaded by large trees or structures. Read on for some more tips for giving your garden a good home!

Facilities Staff Needs Masks

Facilities Staff Needs Masks 4 April 2020

Facilities Staff Needs Masks

Help sew a mask to keep Facilities workers safe!

UH Mānoa Facilities is asking for donations of masks for its 300 employees, all of whom are still at work on campus keeping the buildings and grounds safe, sanitary, and operational. They include the janitors, the groundskeepers, the repair people, those who pick up the trash, all those who do the often-unnoticed but utterly crucial work that allows the rest of the University to do theirs.

Video in the Kitchen

Video in the Kitchen 3 April 2020

Video in the Kitchen

Hey, kids! 4-H announces a cooking contest

Hawai‘i 4-H is challenging all 12- to 18-year-olds in Hawai‘i to participate in a county-to-statewide cooking competition! Contestants will prepare their favorite dish in a 5- to 7-minute video highlighting a local commodity. They should demonstrate how to create a healthful recipe and include some kitchen and food safety tips. County winners will be selected to compete in a state competition.

Micro-Hydroponics in Your Apartment

Micro-Hydroponics in Your Apartment 2 April 2020

Micro-Hydroponics in Your Apartment

The first article in CTAHR’s “How to Start Your Own Home Garden” series

Did you ever want to grow your own food? Indoors and without soil? You can…with micro-hydroponics! Micro-hydroponics allows you to grow miniature vegetable plants hydroponically (without soil) in your house, apartment, garage, or lanai. Read on for more information in this guest post by Dr. Kent Kobayashi!

Resources for the Crisis

Resources for the Crisis 31 March 2020

Resources for the Crisis

CTAHR’s Emergency Response Extension page offers links and tips

If you haven’t checked out the COVID-19 Resources for Hawai‘i page at the CTAHR website, now’s the time to do it! You’ll find lots there that you can use yourself and even more that you can share with your stakeholders, from Food Safety and Sourcing to Mental Health and what to do At Home for the duration. And please contribute anything you have to add as well!

 

The Fruits of Their Labor

The Fruits of Their Labor 30 March 2020

The Fruits of Their Labor

Urban Garden Center volunteers harvest and donate fruit while staying safe

For years, a dedicated group of volunteers called the Fruit Hui has maintained the research orchard at CTAHR’s Urban Garden Center in Pearl City. Harvesting over 200 pounds of fresh tropical fruit a week, the volunteers donate all excess fruit to the Hawaii Foodbank. The group of certified Master Gardener volunteers plans to continue to harvest weekly now that access to fresh food has become even more critical during the COVID-19 crisis.

Emergency Response Webpage Is Being Created

Emergency Response Webpage Is Being Created 24 March 2020

Emergency Response Webpage Is Being Created

Contribute to it, use it, share it

Nancy Ooki, Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) point of contact for the state of Hawai‘i, is creating a COVID-19 webpage for the Extension Emergency Response section of the CTAHR website. The goal is to add as many CTAHR- and UH-created resources as possible. Please submit resources to Nancy Ooki at ooki@hawaii.edu.

UH Extension Offices and Research Stations

UH Extension Offices and Research Stations 24 March 2020

UH Extension Offices and Research Stations

Closed to the Public, Open Virtually

CTAHR’s Cooperative Extension Offices and Research Stations across the state remain open—virtually. All sites are closed to the public, but you may continue your work with Extension agents contacting them via email or phone. Established CTAHR volunteers are permitted to continue their ongoing efforts at Extension facilities by working individually and practicing social distancing along CDC guidelines.

Big Island Extension and Research Stations Go to Remote Assistance

Big Island Extension and Research Stations Go to Remote Assistance 23 March 2020

Big Island Extension and Research Stations Go to Remote Assistance

In light of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Hawai‘i Island Cooperative Extension offices and research stations will be closed to the public, except for employees and current students, in the same way that the 10 UH campuses are. Stakeholders may continue to work with their Extension agents through email and telephone, and they can continue to access information via the CTAHR website, which will continue to be updated. 

ADSC Temporarily Curtails Services

ADSC Temporarily Curtails Services 23 March 2020

ADSC Temporarily Curtails Services

The Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center on UHM campus is temporarily unable to accept new samples, though offices will be open on Monday, March 23. This is due to ongoing needed repairs to the office that are more extensive than originally thought, rather than the COVID-19 epidemic, but the epidemic may end up affecting the construction work. Updates will be given as needed.

Safe Food Handling

Safe Food Handling 23 March 2020

Safe Food Handling

Handout is included with Hawai‘i Island’s emergency food box distribution

Retired faculty Julia Zee joined The Food Basket, Hawai‘i Island’s food bank, in distributing emergency food boxes island wide. She also printed 500 copies of a “Safe Food Handling” handout (atached) to include in each box. The farm food safety education team has also sent out information to farmers and agricultural stakeholders about farm food safety strategies and to support the continued supply of locally grown foods.

 

 

Documents to download

Extension Looking for a Leader

Extension Looking for a Leader 17 March 2020

Extension Looking for a Leader

Search is underway for an associate dean of Extension

The college is advertising for an associate dean for Cooperative Extension. The successful candidate will provide leadership and establish goals for a relevant and effective agricultural and human resources Cooperative Extension program. 

Conservation on Kaua‘i

Conservation on Kaua‘i 16 March 2020

Conservation on Kaua‘i

Multimedia performance spotlights Kaua‘i’s endangered birds

Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds continued to wow audience members as it was performed by the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s Wind Ensemble at Kaua‘i Community College. This was the first time the symphony was performed on the island of Kaua‘i, home to many of the native birds highlighted in the production. Many of the audience members were moved to tears by the realization of all that has been lost and is at risk.The performance, which arose from a project spearheaded by NREM’s Melissa Price, brings together music, art, and science to raise awareness of endangered native bird populations. 

A Garden Grows in Kalaupapa

A Garden Grows in Kalaupapa 16 March 2020

A Garden Grows in Kalaupapa

Residents of remote location get Extension help

Extension agents Jennifer Hawkins (TPSS) and Jari Sugano (PEPS) helped to get the residents of Kalaupapa, Moloka‘i, growing, in response to a request by Na Pu‘u Wai, a Native Hawaiian healthcare program. They provided ground support in collaboration with the Department of Health and the U.S. National Parks Service. 

Candidates on Fire

Candidates on Fire 16 March 2020

Candidates on Fire

Wildfire and climate change adaptation Extension faculty sought

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) is advertising for an Extension specialist in wildfire science and management and climate change adaptation for Hawai‘i and the American-affiliated Pacific Islands. The successful candidate will develop an Extension program focused on wildfires and climate change with a broad range of constituents, including other Extension and research faculty, agency professionals, land-management agencies, and the general public. 

Learning at the Garden

Learning at the Garden 27 February 2020

Learning at the Garden

Grow Hawaiian Festival celebrates reopening of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden

CTAHR will be contributing to the annual Grow Hawaiian Festival at the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden on the Big Island, held on Saturday, February 29. The festival, which is returning after a hiatus of five years, brings together lovers of plants, natural history, and Hawaiian culture.

RSS
First567810121314Last
27 February 2020

CTAHR (Heart) Gardens

Master Gardener program highlighted in Honolulu magazine.

CTAHR (Heart) Gardens

Volunteer Master Gardeners and the CTAHR agents who coordinate and guide them are encouraging local residents to grow their own food! They contributed to an article in Honolulu magazine’s Family section that helps those with little to no gardening experience start their own gardens. As the piece points out, since Hawai‘i’s beautiful weather enables us to start growing at any time of year, there’s no need to wait until the spring!

The article gives tips on easy-to-grow plants such as kale, herbs, and sweet potatoes. The Master Gardeners provide detailed explanations of how to prevent contamination of the plants, how to harvest them, and how much light they need. Extension agent Kalani Matsumura, the Master Gardener coordinator at the Urban Garden Center, notes that plants such as dill, cilantro, and fennel flowers will attract ladybugs, who will help keep plants safe from pests. 

Cynthia Nazario-Leary, the statewide Master Gardener coordinator, explains that while growing plants on the lanai is a good option for those without a backyard, it can be a bit tricky because of hot concrete, sunlight, and city dust. Fortunately, she offers helpful tips on how to overcome these challenges—even for big plants like avocado trees! 

The article also notes that CTAHR’s Seed Lab provides seeds for plants that are disease resistant and well suited to Hawai‘i’s growing conditions. As the article makes clear, new—and established!—gardeners have a better time of it because of CTAHR.