Annual Garden Fair hosted by Kauai County Farm Bureau

Kauai County Farm Bureau & University Of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources present

18th ANNUAL GARDEN FAIR
Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 9:30am-3:30pm at Kauai Community College


Annual Garden Fair at Kauai Community College
Download Printable PDF schedule

Event Contacts

Melissa McFerrin, Executive Administrator
Kauai County Farm Bureau
kcfb@hawaiiantel.net   |   (808) 337-9944

Roy Yamakawa, County Administrator,
College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources (CTAHR)
yamakawa@hawaii.edu   |   (808) 274-3471

From Home Gardening To Professional Farming – UH Education Opportunities

Whether you are looking to start a home garden, troubleshoot an insect problem, or master a new crop, there are educational resources on Kauai to help. Below please find a listing of some of the opportunities available through University of Hawaii and Kauai Community College. There are also community based classes, community gardens and more! Visit the educational and non profit areas of the Garden Fair to find out more on the courses and classes listed here.

Education Opportunities:
Contact UH Extension Service Agents The UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources has extension agents on Kauai that can consult with farmers on a variety of topics, as needed. Their offices are in the state building at 3160 Eiwa Street, Suite 210, Lihue HI 96766.

Agents include: At the Kauai Garden Fair, CTAHR will be hosting several mini-workshops throughout the day ranging from raising bananas, to value of breadfruit and the business of bees.
View Garden Talks schedule »


Master Gardener Class The Kauai Master Gardener program is part of the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources (CTAHR) Cooperative Extension Service. The annual program trains gardeners who then help other gardeners in the community with garden advice and education. The Master Gardener training consists of science based information from extension faculty and horticulture professionals. The participants receive about forty hours of class training and volunteer 40 hours of service within one year with the Master Gardener program to become certified Master Gardeners. One of the most effective means of providing volunteer service has been the assistance with school gardens to help the young gardeners learn through hands-on experience. The school students are eager to learn and discover new things in the garden. They watch their plants grow, learn to eat vegetables that they grow themselves, and learn about wigglers and crawlers in the environment. The Kauai Master Gardeners helped to establish a couple of school gardens on Kauai and plan to help with community gardens as well.

Master Gardeners have conducted garden classes on container gardens, orchids, personality garden and growing kale. Master Gardeners also presented garden information to Kauai's senior citizens.

The Kauai Master Gardeners will be at the April 13 CTAHR Garden Fair held at Kauai Community College and will be selling University of Hawaii CTAHR seeds and share garden advice with anyone who stops by. They also plan to be at the Kauai Farm Bureau Fair in August with their herb seedlings again.

The 2013 Kauai Master Gardeners training course will be on Wednesday mornings from 9-12 at Kauai Community College from May 16 to August 22. Topics include horticulture, insects, plant diseases, fruits, vegetables, and landscaping.

For application to the Kauai Master Gardener training course or if you have a garden question stop by the Master Gardener table at the Garden Fair. You may also stop by the Cooperative Extension Service office in the State Office Building in Lihue, room 210 or contact Richard Ebesu at 274-3475 or rebesu@hawaii.edu.


For Credit Courses at Kauai Community College The newly expanded Agriculture course roster includes the KCC Bioscience Technology program – a 23 credit-hour certificate that includes courses in chemistry, general science, botany, horticulture, plant propagation, crop improvement, and pest management, plus a biolab technician internship and a seminar course. Courses may be applied toward an Associate's degree in Agriculture.

Other credit courses offered on a rotating basis include: a Hawaiian studies course in growing kalo (taro) and courses on Hawaiian native plants and Hawaiian plant ethnobiology. A 7-credit certificate of competence is available in Hawaiian Botany, under KCC's Liberal Arts program.

Summer course registration open April 9 to June 14, for June 12 to July 25 course dates. Fall course registration open April 9 to July 20, for August 20 to December 14 course dates. Courses include Plant Bioscience Tech Intern, Integrated Pest Management, Introduction to Horticulture and General Botany.

For more information, contact Dr. Sharad P. Marahatta at (808)-245-8251 or look for course descriptions of available classes for Kauai Community College through the UH System at www.sis.hawaii.edu/uhdad/avail.classes.


Ho'ouluwehi – Sustainable Living Institute of Kauai presents the following courses in Sustainable Agriculture from the Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET) For information and registration, please call 245-8318 or visit the KCC website at kauai.hawaii.edu.

Sustainable Farming
 This course offers a range of information about organic methods for gardens and small farm operations, with the goal of contributing to the food self-sufficiency of Kauai. Topics include site assessment, garden planning, irrigation, tools and equipment, soil building, harvest planning, botany, propagation, weed and pest management and seed-saving.
  • Thursdays, April 12 to May 10 from 1:00pm to 6:00pm
  • Instructor: Ken Lindsey
  • Tuition: $150.

Aquaponics
 This 20-hour course introduces students to state of the art production of fish and vegetables.
  • Saturdays, April 13 to May 5th from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
  • Instructor: Bernie Tsao
  • Tuition: $165.

The Apiary Program
 Two upcoming classes on bees and abundance with instructor James Trujillo.
    Introductory course:
  • Saturdays, April 13 from 9:00am to 12:00pm and on April 20 from 9:00am to 1:00pm.
  • Tuition: $45.
    Intermediate course:
  • Saturdays April 20 to May 5, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm weekly.
  • Tuition: $75.

Entrepreneurship Training for Ag Business Success
 The US Dept. of Agriculture has found that a major cause of farm failures is due to a lack of business planning and management. This course focuses on training agricultural entrepreneurs.
  • Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 24 to May 18th from 5:00pm to 9:00pm.
  • Instructor: Tim Stuck.
  • Tuition: $120.

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