Washington Middle School Ala Wai Community Garden Tour - September 16

Both children and adults were impressed by how we all managed our 15 by 12 plots. It was such a treat for them to see all kinds of leaves, flowers, and fruits that many of the children thought to have come from the refrigerator or the super markets.

We toured a19 thru d39; they were very appreciative of knowing that lemongrass and chives were not weeds. They loved the morenga, the large papayas, and especially the large sunflower from D28 and the arrangement of plants and lights on d28 and d29. They were surprised to know that bananas were not trees and oranges and tangerines grow from the farm, which some of them picked from outside D23. They were introduced to the taste of Okinawan spinach, and purple beans. A few of them understood why Marigold flowers were planted in the gardens, i.e., to prevent bugs from eating the
rest of the plants. On D37 they liked the manoa lettuce mixed with orchids and sweet potatoes. On D39 they liked the mixture of flowering Ginger, bougainvillea, and ti with the taro, manoa lettuce, and the various herbs. They were amazed at the beauty of the dragon fruit, the lilikoi, the pomegranate, the guavas, the soursops, and the figs.They had a ball with Nickʼs garden at a26; they had so much pleasure looking at the growing taros. I cautioned them to be careful when they started picking corn; three of them were able to pick delicious corn and the rest were happy to taste the malabar spinach.
Two of them got a sample of the papayas. Alice from a27 gave the children a mini-lecture and tour of her garden.

This was a special treat to our special kids and the adults helping them. a few of the adults would like to join our waiting list. Special thank you to Nick, Sulfiati, and Alice for providing their garden for the show and to Nathan for authorizing this tour.

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