Alumni News

The 24th Tea 101 workshop on Production and Processing Basics, conducted by Randall Hamasaki and Stuart Nakamoto, was held on April 26 at the Mealani Research Station on the Big Island. Mealani has a field of tea that includes many different cultivars and a selection field of seedlings, a greenhouse where tea cuttings are produced, and a processing facility. The station staff are well versed in the growing and processing of tea. And they brought all their expertise to the seven-hour workshop, which was jam-packed with information and activity from beginning to end. It covered tea plant varieties, propagation, planting, shaping, pruning, irrigation, fertilization, pest management, and harvesting, as well as processing and marketing the tea. Participants tasted green, oolong, and black teas made from Camellia sinensis. Participants gained hands-on experience harvesting and processing the tea and then took home the tea they produced. Even the lunch included a discussion about the market potential of Hawai‘i-grown tea. The participants left inspired and much more informed about this exciting new crop!

The 24th Tea 101 workshop, conducted by Randall Hamasaki and Stuart Nakamoto, was held at the Mealani Research Station on the Big Island. The seven-hour workshop was jam-packed with information and activity, including tea plant varieties, propagation, planting, shaping, pruning, irrigation, fertilization, pest management, and harvesting, as well as processing and marketing.

Cooperative Extension's Raymond Uchida, Jari Sugano, Jensen Uyeda, Joshua Silva, Kalani Matsumura, and Ted Radovich supported the O‘ahu City and County Disaster Recovery Centers to assist farmers, residents, and businesses affected by the recent severe weather and flooding, addressing questions on food safety, water quality, disaster-relief assistance, and debris removal.

Kyle Caires (HNFAS) was focused on kids and animals for the weekend when he recently hosted two events on Maui, a small ruminant workshop for over 50 4-H youth and adults in Kula and a beef fitting and showmanship workshop at a local ranch in Makawao.

As part of the Malama ‘Aina Manoa Project—a collaboration between Botany, TPSS, and Buildings & Grounds Management—grad student Kauahi Perez (TPSS) collaborated with Noweo Kai (Botany) on a SAPFB grant proposal to purchase native Hawaiian plants for areas on Manoa campus in dire need of beautification.