Imagine being able to pluck fresh produce for a delicious dinner from a bountiful garden instead of picking over fruits and vegetables shipped from halfway around the world at the grocery store. If one citizen-based group has its way, this
Imagine being able to pluck fresh produce for a delicious dinner from a bountiful garden instead of picking over fruits and vegetables shipped from halfway around the world at the grocery store. If one citizen-based group has its way, this would be the primary method of supplying the island’s residents with food.
The Kaua‘i Food Industry Forum, which promotes sustainable and local agriculture, met yesterday to discuss the implementation of community gardens in various districts around the island. The forum is a community-based group comprised of individuals, food-related organizations and other agencies interested in the need for food self-sufficiency.
“What we’re trying to do is provide training and technical assistance,” Glenn Hontz, forum chair, said.
The forum has been active for three years, with the community gardens project still in the early planning stages.
“(The forum) is making the public aware of the increasing need for food production on this island,” Hontz said.
One of the main goals of the group is to bring food production on Kaua‘i to a higher level. According to Hontz, high oil prices are causing agriculture as a whole to shift to more labor-intensive farming, creating more organic food.
“Imported food will become more expensive, and organic food will be less expensive,” Hontz said.
The main point of discussion at the meeting was securing land for the project. All district representatives said they were scoping out potential garden space.
Representing the Kapa‘a district, Leslie Ann Laing said the community garden project is just getting started in her district but stressed its importance.
“Gardening is a wonderful way of returning the land to the people,” Laing said. “It gives people a sense of control by producing what they need.”
Gary Inouye, the temporary representative from the Koloa district, said the concept of sharing was inspired by his father and the community gardens in Japan.
“They made sure everybody had something,” Inouye said. “No one went without.”
Though the quest for land to host the gardens is ongoing, one established community garden is located at Kaua‘i Community College.
The 4,000-square-foot garden is tended by students who sign up for a $30, six-week course. Along with being the forum chairperson, Hontz teaches the bi-weekly class. He said the beauty of the class is that students can re-enroll as many times as they want because “you can’t learn to garden in six weeks.
“(The garden) produces everything in the way of vegetables,” Hontz said with a smile. “You’d be amazed with what comes out of that garden.”
Look for additional coverage on the class as well as growing produce with the unique soil of Kaua‘i in tomorrow’s edition.
