The month of February can be a healthy and nutritious one for people who participate in a Healthy Food Prep and Nutrition Workshop Series hosted by the Kekaha Community Garden. Registration is being accepted now for the four workshop series,
The month of February can be a healthy and nutritious one for people who participate in a Healthy Food Prep and Nutrition Workshop Series hosted by the Kekaha Community Garden.
Registration is being accepted now for the four workshop series, which will run Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Waimea High School Culinary classroom.
The registration is for the four-workshop series only and costs $45, which includes a healthy recipe binder and recipes that participants will prepare and enjoy during the workshop.
Scholarships may be available.
During the workshops, participants will learn hands-on how to prepare simple, affordable, healthy recipes using fresh vegetables from the Kekaha Community Garden while learning its nutritional value and importance to one’s health.
Classes will be led by Chef Instructor Donovan Cabebe and Nutritional Instructor Sharon de la Pena, a registered dietitian with Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i.
“I took the workshops before and it was fantastic,” said Kalaheo resident Pat Gegen.
Cabebe was one of the chefs preparing food for the Westside residents and farmers during the presentation by Dr. Vandana Shiva at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall Thursday.
Much of the produce was contributed by the Kekaha Community Garden, also known as Mala‘ai o Kekaha, said Tim Golden, who was manning an informational booth on the garden.
Cabebe has been in the food industry for more than 20 years, creating recipes from the perspective of “food is medicine,” with a special focus on health using local foods, states a flier from the Kekaha Community Garden.
De la Pena has been a Public Health Nutritionist with the WIC program on Kaua‘i and Honolulu.
Diane Shoemaker, executive director of the Kekaha Community Garden, said the garden is also accepting membership application.
Located at 4552 Auku‘u Road in Kekaha, immediately behind the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the Kekaha Community Garden has been doing lots of school field trips, distributing free compost bins to Westside residents, and making food donations to Westside food pantry programs, Shoemaker said.
Membership in the Kekaha Community Garden includes a weekly box of organic vegetables, having tools, gloves and supplies on site, plus basic garden training. The garden is described as a communal garden and a resource and training center.
The garden is open daily during daylight hours. It is closed on Sundays from 6 to 9 a.m.
Some of the produce growing include cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, peppers, celery, Bok Choi, assorted herbs and green beans.
Basic training and group work days are Sundays from 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays from 7 to 10 a.m. and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. People interested in the Kekaha Community Garden are welcomed during these days.
Visit kekahagarden.org or call 651-5197 for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
