Thursday, December 12th 2019 – 9:00am-12:30pm.

Puna Prosperity: Māmaki

Sharing Māmaki in Puna as a vehicle focused towards supporting sustainability and economic abundance through education and cultural practices that embody: “What is good for the aīna is good for our community, our bodies, and our economy.

Speaker Bio: Isabella “Bella” Ellaheh Hughes was born and raised in Honolulu and now resides in Hilo. Her career spans the arts, culture, agriculture and entrepreneurship. She is President and co-founder of Shaka Tea and co-founder and Director Emeritus of Honolulu Biennial Foundation (HBF). Hughes serves on the board of HBF, was appointed by Governor David Y Ige to serve on the Hawai’i Technology Development Corporation board and appointed by Mayor Harry Kim to serve on the Merit of Appeals Board. Through the arts, nonprofit work, and entrepreneurship, she is firmly committed to Hawaiʻi, championing abundance for our community.

Thursday, December 5th 2019 – 9:00am-12:00pm

Anthony Anderson of Grow Paradise and his partner Sami are back after a big turnout from their last fruit tree grafting class! They will be sharing more grafting techniques as well as how to make fruit fly traps. There will be lots of giveaways with the permaculture prize wheel! There will also be an opportunity for anyone interested to practice their grafting techniques after the talk -scions will be available to practice with, such as Durian, Avocado, and Mango.

Thursday, November 21st 2019 – 9:00am-12:30pm

This is my Home: The Hawaiian Way with Jenilee Mattos

Come be thankful for the Hawaiian Way by learning what Jeni's Kūpuna (elders), and her Ohana (family & friends), passed on to her: The Hawaiian way of cooking, working on the 'āina (land), making beautiful lei's for every event, and most importantly the true History of Hawaii. She will also be bringing some traditional Hawaiian food to share ????

Bio: Jeni was born and raised on this beautiful big island, in the small town of Honoka'a. Born to farmers and ranchers, she grew up working hard but playing harder, starting her days at 5am. On the weekends she would go to her grandparents house to help, so they didn't have to work so hard. She was raised to know that Ohana is always there and Our Land always provides. She tries to live The Kapu Aloha way everyday. By attending this special class she hopes you will find your Kapu Aloha way. Mahalo.

There will be NO Class on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28th 2019

Thursday, October 31st, 2019 – 9:00am-12:00pm

Grafting & Air-layering with Anthony Anderson

Anthony and his partner Sami of Grow Paradise are stoked to teach this hands-on grafting and air-layering workshop. They will be showing the class how and when to collect scions for grafting, and what tools and techniques they use to achieve a higher success rate. For those interested, scions will be available to practice with, such as Durian, Avocado, and Mango.

They will also bring their Black Soldier Fly Larva compost bin to share with the group. Black soldier flies convert compost much easier and even break down materials like citrus peels. They make the perfect food for chickens.

Seedlings, healthy treats, and more, will be available to attendees with the permaculture prize wheel, and we will be giving out lots of goodies for Halloween! To finish up the morning, we will be watching a video about the ancient fishponds of Hawaii. Super inspiring and informative. We hope to see you there!

Thursday, November 7th, 2019 – 9:00am-12:00pm

Aquaponics On Water Catchment with Jeremy Cann

Grow healthy fish and plants on your water catchment. Learn how to care for your systems and ensure long life.

Jeremai Cann "Dr. Sustainability" is a Jamaican-born islander whose first teachings on food and water, the keys to healthy physical life came from his parents on their family land. A graduate of the University of Florida, Jeremai entered the environmental field professionally in 1996 as an Environmental Compliance Inspector with the Miami-Dade County of Florida. During this time he gained an avid interest in alternative energy systems and organic agriculture. Today, Jeremai kindles his passion for environment education as a consultant and teacher of renewable energy and sustainability here on Hawai’i Island. Residing in Orchidland in the Puna District, Dr. Sustainability tends to his orchard, builds and sells tiny homes and continues to offer his environmental consultation and educational services to island neighbors near and far.

Thursday, November 14th, 2019 – 9:00am-12:00pm

The Ulu Cooperative with Dana Shapiro

Dana and her husband, UH Professor Dr. Noa Lincoln, formed the Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative in 2016 to build a network of small-scale, diversified farms on Hawai‘i Island that grow breadfruit and want to improve community access to this amazing, nutritious food. By working together, they are able to offer consistent, high-quality ‘ulu products that are delicious, versatile, local, healthy, accessible, and sustainable. The co-op is committed to the revival of ‘ulu to strengthen Hawai‘i’s food security and to the value of aloha ‘āina (love for the land) by using environmentally responsible growing and production methods. Distributed throughout the island’s numerous microclimates, more than 70 member farms grow at least six distinct breadfruit varieties, enabling the co-op to take advantage of variable harvesting seasons to supply ‘ulu virtually year-round. Farmer owned, ‘āina grown—from our trees to your table.

Thursday, October 24th 2019 – 9:00am-12:30pm

Homesteading Chickens (part 2) with Chris Hardenbrook of 13-Mile Farm

Learn the why and how of incorporating chickens into a homestead scenario.

Bio: Chris Hardenbrook and his wife, Leslie Sears, are owners of 13-Mile Farm in Kurtistown. They raise layer hens to supply local natural food stores with pastured eggs, and breed Black Australorp heritage chickens as an Advocate Member of the Sustainable Poultry Network. Chris' latest adventure is importing Coturnix japonica quail hatching eggs from James-Marie Farms in Louisiana. His homestead hatchery will supply quail and chickens to Big Island landholders wanting a quality sustainable food source, and potentially extra income.

Thursday, October 17th 2019 – 9:00am-12:30pm

Homesteading Chickens (part 1) with Chris Hardenbrook of 13-Mile Farm

Learn the why and how of incorporating chickens into a homestead scenario.

Bio: Chris Hardenbrook and his wife, Leslie Sears, are owners of 13-Mile Farm in Kurtistown. They raise layer hens to supply local natural food stores with pastured eggs, and breed Black Australorp heritage chickens as an Advocate Member of the Sustainable Poultry Network. Chris' latest adventure is importing Coturnix japonica quail hatching eggs from James-Marie Farms in Louisiana. His homestead hatchery will supply quail and chickens to Big Island landholders wanting a quality sustainable food source, and potentially extra income.

Thursday, October 10th, 2019 - 9:00am-12:30pm

Hawaiian Noni and Fern Medicines with Herbert Moniz

Topics covered:

-Healing properties of Hawaiian Noni

-Where Noni grows best

-Fermentation process of Noni for highest potency

-How Noni is used medicinally to cure and prevent chronic diseases

-Healing properties of Hawaiian Pohole Fern

-How Pohole Fern is used as a health supplement

-Herbert will do demonstrations with volunteers who would like to receive diagnoses and recommendations

-Products will be available for sample and purchase

Bio: Herbert is the U.S. Patent Holder of Noni Fruit Dehydration, a documented healer, and an expert on the synergies of Hawaiian plants and herbs.

-2016 — Founding Member of the Hawaii NoniPower Cooperative

-1994 — Granted U.S. Patent (No. 5,288,491). The patent relates to a method for processing the noni plant into powder

-1959 — Married his loving wife, Lona, whom he helped to cure of Breast Cancer using the Noni's medicinal properties

-1939 — Was born in Kula, Hawaii

Thursday, October 3rd, 2019 – 9:00am-12:00pm

Bees need Korean Natural Farming too! with Shane “Bee Charmer” Lee

Shane was initiated into the realm of bees in Phoenix, Arizona. It was not the sweet, golden honey bee that began to open the door of hive consciousness for Shane; it was the killer bee. Shane was stung over 100 times during a hive removal and met the queen bee in his heart for the first time. He then moved to the Big Island of Hawaii in 2014 with his wife Susana and daughter Satya, where his non-profit Gentle Hive was created. He is known throughout the bee community worldwide and is devoted to creating educational guidelines and laws that implement non-chemical alternatives to commercial beekeeping. Shane’s technique of beekeeping is truly heart centered, the love language of the bees radiate within his teachings and wisdom.

Thursday, September 26th 2019 – 9:00am-12:30pm

Bonsai with Keoni Bigno

Keoni will explain the contemporary significance of Hawaiian plants. Their practical, spiritual, and health applications will be discussed, with a hands-on session on harvest, propagation, and pruning for aesthetics and efficiency using the art of bonsai.

Bio: Keoni Bigno is a permaculture kumu (teacher) sharing traditional knowledge through contemporary practices of regenerative organic agriculture and bioremediation. Keoni’s mission is to inspire environmental awareness, create sustainable and healthy communities, and restore balance to our ecosystems by teaching and preserving cultural and indigenous practices from his lineage and life experience.

Thursday, September 19, 2019 from 9:00am - 12:30pm

Tree-to-Bar Chocolate with Maddy Smith, the Barefoot Chocolatini

Maddy has loved all things chocolate for the past 25+ years. She is an active member of the East Hawai'i Cacao Association based in Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawai'i. She was asked to be a cacao bean judge by Dr. Nat Bletter at the 7th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival this year and grows 80 cacao plants of her own. She has been studying chocolate for over 10 years and specifically Hawaiian cacao and chocolate for the past 4 years. People know her as "the chocolate lady" or "Barefoot Chocolatini" around town. Maddy gives Chocolate Farm Tours and tastings as well as Downtown Hilo Chocolate Shop Hops. She is helping put Hawai’i on the map for chocolate makers, cacao cultivators, and chocolate lovers around the world.

Thursday, September 12, 2019 from 9:00am-12:30pm

Intuitive Landcare and the Art of the Walkabout with Scott Laaback

Through a series of conversations and hands on activities you will learn how to better understand and connect with your permaculture landscape. For eons humans walked, worked, and understood the landscape as a part of it. The current mainstream perspective of humans as masters and architects of mechanical landscapes has led us headlong into our current ecological and climatic crises. During this seminar and hands on workshop, you will learn to observe and better understand the land and your relationship to it. You will learn about skills and tools that enable you to become an intuitive caretaker of the land, as well as participate in exercises designed to deepen and strengthen your natural intuitive connections to the landscape and all of its natural elements.

*Please come prepared for the hands on portion by bringing clothing appropriate for light outdoor work*

Bio: Scott Laaback is a regenerative designer, farm-to-table chef, and organizer who works to create regenerative culture and landscapes. He brings broad experience including nearly a decade as a wildland firefighter, working in restaurants and on farms, producing numerous pop-up farm-to-table events, design, installation and maintenance of regenerative landscapes, co-founding Kumukoa House and serving as its Program Director and Permaculture Designer, and serving as the Permaculture Manager and then Landcare Director at Kalanihonua Retreat Center. He currently consults privately doing Regenerative Land-coaching and design. Most recently, Scott is a founding member and President of Center for Getting Things Started, a newly formed 501(c)3 non-profit with a mission to create regenerative economy.

Thursday, September 5th 2019 - 9:00am-12:30pm

Grow your own Lā'au Lapa'au (Medicinal plants) with Carly Wyman from Hui Mālama Ola nā 'Ōiwi

In this hands- on workshop, learn how to grow 6 different medicinal plants important in Hawaiian culture:

'Ōlena (turmeric), Ka'ukama'awa'awa (bittermelon), Ko'oko'olau, Lūkini (lemongrass), Māmaki, and Lā'ī (Ti leaf).

Learn about the traditional Hawaiian significance of these plants, and their proper terminology in 'Ōlelo Hawai'i (the Hawaiian language). We will address some of the natural history of these plants and how to grow them as part of a larger agroforestry system. Learn the basics of how these plants were traditionally gathered and used to treat illness. We will discuss how lā'au lapa'au were utilized in old Hawai'i and the scientific backing that has emerged for these uses today. Participants will have the opportunity to plant and take home all 6 lā'au, as well as a guidebook with information on growing and using these 6 plants.

Bio: Hui Mālama Ola nā 'Ōiwi (501(c)3) is dedicated to serving the people of Hawai'i Island to live longer and feel better- physically, spiritually and mentally. We offer free workshops and programming island- wide and have been offering 'Grow your Own Lā'au Lapa'au classes since 2017. Carly Wyman is an environmental educator, enthusiastic gardener, and non- profit founder. She has been working with the 'āina of Hawai'i Island since 2014. She has worked on organic farms, and as a school garden teacher at several schools around the island. She brings this organic farming and gardening

From July 25 - August 29th, 2019

6 part Korean Natural Farming series

Plant Aloha is proud to present this in depth introductory exploration of Korean Natural Farming with seasoned expert: Eric (Drake) Weinert

Bio: Drake was born and raised in Hawaiian Acres. He has lived and taught Korean Natural Farming for over a decade under Master Cho and is presently consulting and teaching locally and around the world.

Thursday, July 25th 2019 – 9:00am-12:30pm

Natural Farming Solutions with Eric (Drake) Weinert (class 1): Simple formulations that follow the natural growth cycles of a variety of plants. Learn how to spray the right thing at the correct time in this vital introduction.

Thursday, August 1st 2019 – 9:00am-12:30pm

Fermented Plant Juice and Vinegar with Eric (Drake) Weinert (class 2): Make a plant extract that can be custom tuned to your situation and forget buying fertilizer or health elixirs ever again.