Students in the Māla

Our students have been working very hard and showcasing their curiosity and love of working in the garden. The students have been very active in the garden this season with hard work and fun activities! With daily visits of students to the garden and multiple weekly classes we have been able to bring every Waimea Middle School student into the garden. Our students also had the opportunity to practice skills from their science classes such as changes in matter and mass, water conservation and force of motion.

Classes coming to the garden with their teachers include 6th grade science, 7th grade science, ‘Ike Hawaii ( Hawaiian knowledge), 6th, 7th and 8th grades exploratory writing, and technology/ businesses classes. The cultivation of our beds continues with student garden classes, our beautiful student turned compost really helps the garden beds thrive. Students planted carrots, leeks, bulb onions, 4th generation Mālaʻai peas, swiss chard and cabbage this past quarter. Students were super excited to take home plants they started in the garden.

We continue to partner with our school's Boy’s to Men Club once a month. Mālaʻai works with the Mentorship Program, offering the garden whenever needed. We also now have 6 beautiful laying hens, thanks to the generosity of supporters and volunteers Hermine Baker and Niel Thomas. Some of the many garden snacks included sauteed Mālaʻai green beans with herb butter, fruit salad with Mālaʻai persimmons, yacon and donated tangerines, popcorn, basil and kale pesto, hand made tortillas, potato leek soup and many more delicious recipes. Our students made guava and tangerine low sugar jelly for teachers this holiday season.