“The opportunity to grow ‘giants’ with my children is a blessing,” says Wendi Sasaki. “We were able to spend quality time together, learning and growing.’”
The parent participant is referring to a contest of giant fruits and vegetables, brought to Big Island families by the Hawai'i County 4-H program. For eight years and running, Becky Settlage, Extension agent and state coordinator for the Hawai?i Junior Master Gardener Program, has used the contest to bring out big smiles from its smallest members.
This year’s entries exceeded 2019 by 236%! with entries ranging from tomatoes, giant pumpkins, and watermelons to bushel gourds, long gourds and sunflowers.
“Little do these children realize that, besides having fun trying to grow a giant pumpkin, giant watermelon, giant tomato or giant sunflower, we’re also secretly teaching them a love of science, and skills such as problem solving, responsibility, teamwork, recordkeeping, and of course, getting outside and being active in a safe way,” Becky says.
Read the UH News story. View the winner photos and results.