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Mushroom Trip

Mushroom Trip 15 December 2020

Mushroom Trip

Extension’s hands-on school program stokes excitement and interest

What is a mushroom? Is it a fruit, or is it vegetable? Is it even a plant? During this pandemic, it’s more important than ever to create hands-on “classroom” activities that students can do from home. Look no further than Extension educators, who’ve been able to deliver on CTAHR’s Land Grant obligations by helping Oʻahu students cultivate oyster mushrooms.

Invasive Pests, Part III

Invasive Pests, Part III 23 November 2020

Invasive Pests, Part III

Extension hosts another mini-conference December 15

With the main objective to bring stakeholders together, in the same forum, to discuss and share current issues, concerns, and updates on the status and research in Hawaiʻi, CTAHR Extension will host the third Invasive Pests Mini-Conference via Zoom: December 15, 1:00 p.m.

Giant Smiles, Part II

Giant Smiles, Part II 16 November 2020

Giant Smiles, Part II

4-H contest gets keiki excited about agriculture

“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.

I Owe Uncle Sam What?!

I Owe Uncle Sam What?! 9 November 2020

I Owe Uncle Sam What?!

Learn to navigate Ag taxes with GoFarm Hawaiʻi’s free seminars

If doing taxes is a piece of cake for you, then stop reading now. But for the rest of us who cringe at the thought of preparing our own Agribusiness General Excise taxes, Schedule F and other forms of sole proprietorship or partnership, help is on the way.

Mahalo, Volunteers!

Mahalo, Volunteers! 2 November 2020

Mahalo, Volunteers!

Urban Garden Center hosts the 2020 Volunteer Appreciation Day

Forty-eight cars and trucks took their turns, driving thru the grounds of the Urban Garden Center for a well-deserved chance to vote on their favorite Halloween decoration, and receive tools generously donated by City Mill, as well as other tokens of mahalo! from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, UH Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center, UH Bookstore, and CTAHR.

Coffee Leaf Rust

Coffee Leaf Rust 2 November 2020

Coffee Leaf Rust

Pest confirmed on Maui and tentatively on Hawai`i Island

Coffee leaf rust (CLR) has been confirmed by the U.S Dept. of Agriculture from coffee plant samples collected on Maui last week. In response, the Hawai`i Dept. of Agriculture (HDOA) began statewide surveys and has detected suspect plants on Hawai`i Island.

ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest

ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest 2 November 2020

ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest

Celebrating one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved plants

“The most abundant tree in Hawaii’s native forest is the ‘ōhi‘a lehua, a tree critical to providing the water we drink, keeping our ocean reefs clean, and to the native Hawaiian culture,” says Ambyr U. Mokiao-Lee, Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) Statewide Outreach Coordinator. “For these reasons and more, ‘ōhi‘a will be celebrated in a week-long virtual event called ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest.

Extension Growth

Extension Growth 2 November 2020

Extension Growth

The Hawaiʻi chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi is recruiting members

Ever wonder what Extension is up to – across the pond? Want a mechanism to share experiences, ideas, what works and what didn’t, with fellow professionals on the Mainland? Then consider joining Alpha Omega, the Hawaiʻi chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi.

MacNut Pest Management

MacNut Pest Management 13 October 2020

MacNut Pest Management

A new study on the felted coccid can help growers manage loss from pests

Some years ago, an Australian native insect called the “macadamia felted coccid” found its way to Hawaiʻi, causing leaf and branch die back, flower drop and sometimes, tree death among Macadamia trees. Relatively recently, the invasive pest insect became widespread on the Big Island – and of course, this has led to reduced crop yields.

Hawaiiscape Green

Hawaiiscape Green 6 October 2020

Hawaiiscape Green

Extension teams up with LICH to help small and minority-owned businesses

Please join Extension agents Russell Galanti and Hannah Lutgen on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 3:00 p.m., as they present the first in a planned series of webinars on the local green industry. The first webinar will look at small and minority-owned businesses in the green industry and programs that will improve their economic situation and help them recover from COVID-related economic effects.

Piggeries in Puna

Piggeries in Puna 29 September 2020

Piggeries in Puna

A new deep-litter design may help jump-start family farms

Lower Puna has felt the stinging triple punch of hurricane, lava, and now, pandemic. Enter Mike DuPonte and a new deep-litter piggery.

Beyond Beginners

Beyond Beginners 15 September 2020

Beyond Beginners

GoFarm Hawaiʻi consults on business plans, grant writing, and a whole lot more.

Financial analysis, marketing support, business plan production, grant writing – perhaps not what you’d expect from a beginner farmer training program.

But as Janel Yamamoto explains in a recent article, GoFarm Hawaiʻi offers services for those already working in the agricultural industry.

One Busy Man

One Busy Man 9 September 2020

One Busy Man

Extension agent is helping livestock producers, near and far

What’s one way to help ranchers stay in business during a pandemic? Kyle Caires might give you three answers. Last week, the Extension agent was a guest of Maui Mayor Michael Victorino, as the mayor announced Feed My Sheep, a new CARES Act-funded partnership with local ranchers to provide ground beef to people in need.

RU AgCurious?

RU AgCurious? 19 August 2020

RU AgCurious?

GoFarm Hawaiʻi Windward kicks off another farmer training

If commercial farming is a key to economic diversification in our island state, why not start with Hawaiʻi’s premier beginning farmer training? The free webinar is the first step for anyone interested in GoFarm’s highly successful program.

Giant Smiles

Giant Smiles 19 August 2020

Giant Smiles

4-H contest gets keiki excited about agriculture

For eight years and running, Hawaiʻi County 4-H has found a special way to bring out big smiles from its smallest members: a contest of giant fruits and vegetables.

Congrats, Zhiqiang Cheng!

Congrats, Zhiqiang Cheng! 27 July 2020

Congrats, Zhiqiang Cheng!

Turfgrass and landscape pest expert wins arboricultural award

Golf courses, resorts, and homeowner lawns across the Islands rely on Hawai‘i sunshine, good irrigation, and the expert guidance of Zhiqiang Cheng of the Dept. of Plant & Environmental Protection Sciences.

Vegetable Garden Isle

Vegetable Garden Isle 22 July 2020

Vegetable Garden Isle

Extension agents feed the hungry with the fruits of their research

The Kaua‘i community has a long history of helping one another, and CTAHR’s Kaua‘i Cooperative Extension is no exception—agents recently donated 556 pounds of vegetable greens to the Hawai‘i Foodbank there. The vegetables were grown at the Kaua‘i Agricultural Research & Extension Center by assistant Extension agents James Keach and Emilie Kirk, with the help of agricultural technicians Andrew Ehlert and Michael Carle.

Soil Rx

Soil Rx 22 July 2020

Soil Rx

Extension offers conference on soil health

The United Nations has declared 2020 the International Year of Plant Health, and healthy plants need healthy soil! Find out how to foster and maintain it at the Cooperative Extension Virtual Soil Health and Sustainable IPM mini-conference on Tuesday, August 4, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Mama Cows

Mama Cows 22 July 2020

Mama Cows

Agent offers webinar on choosing heifers for cow/calf producers

Livestock Extension agent for Kaua‘i County Savannah Katulski is offering a webinar, “Selecting Beef Replacement Heifers,” on Thursday, July 30, at 6:30 p.m. This webinar will focus on best management practices for choosing and managing replacement heifers for a cow/calf operation. 

Mahalo, Hawaiian Earth Products

Mahalo, Hawaiian Earth Products 17 July 2020

Mahalo, Hawaiian Earth Products

Compost donation will support SOAP’s turmeric project

Longtime CTAHR supporter Hawaiian Earth Products (HEP) recently donated eight truckloads of compost to the Poamoho Research Station! The compost will be used to support research into the yield and quality of Hawai‘i-grown organic turmeric. 

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28 September 2021

Becky Settlage

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Extension

Becky Settlage

Becky Settlage is an Associate Extension Agent in the Dept. of Family and Consumer Sciences, currently working at the Komohana Research and Extension Center in Hilo.

Drawing from her work in the 4-H Junior Master Gardener Program during Covid, Becky published an outstanding Impact Statement, “Growing Great Kids in Times of Adversity.”

As Becky explains, this annual program has run since 2012, but Covid stay-at-home orders forced families and schools to come up with ways to engage their kids/students while at home. This project was meant to be educational, connected with school studies, and done from safety of the home.

In Becky’s words, “Because many youths were at home a greater portion of the day due to the pandemic, they were well-positioned to manage and take better care of their plants, which resulted in more contest entries at the conclusion of the program. In 2019, there were 22 entries for our contest. In 2020, we had 76 — an increase of 245%!”

Seven state records were broken by the outstanding plants. In addition, Becky found that 50% of participants were first-time gardeners, with “highly significant positive changes” in the participants’ knowledge and ability to grow “giant” vegetables and plants.

Moving forward, responses indicate that families and schools want to see the annual seminar, monthly ‘Talk Story’ sessions, and annual tour continue.

“100% of the 2020 participants stated they ALL had fun participating and would participate again in 2021,” she said.

Read Becky’s Impact Statement, “Growing Great Kids in Times of Adversity.”

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The 2021 CTAHR Dean’s Award for Excellence in Extension is based on an evaluation of Extension Impact Statements submitted by individuals or teams during 2020. Read more.