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Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden : Newsletter index : 2002 News : Spring 02
Coming Soon...
Volume 3, Number 3 Spring 2002
Our Wonderful Interns Continue to Make Important Contributions
April's intern was Maryann Mazzacaro, a kindergarten teacher on sabbatical from New York City. Although she had never gardened before, Maryann had fun cutting down a diseased papaya tree, harvesting a large stalk of bananas, helping garden manager Terra, and making some products with herbalist Barb.
During May we made use of our "Hale Pu'u" gazebo as lodging for the first time. Intern Elle Pickens, from the Seattle area and a new transplant to the Big Island, helped to "weatherize" it during her two-week stay during some very rainy weather. Thanks, Elle! I hope you didn't get TOO wet. Her comment in our guest book was that "sleeping in the gazebo was cosmic." It was a good experiment and allowed us to have two interns at once.
Our other May intern was Katrina Perreault, from Vermont. A recent high school graduate (and valedictorian of her class), Katrina was a quick study and a very hard worker. Elle and Katrina had so much in common it was almost eerie: the same birthday (10 years apart), and both mothers are third grade teachers.
We're currently hosting Michelle Kuhrt, a pharmacy doctoral student from University of North Carolina. I'm learning as much from her as she is from working in the garden and studying with me. She's here until July 17.
A Wonderful Conference on Maui in January
The "Plant People Reunion and Conference" on January 24-27 was an ethnobotanical experience par excellence! The presenters were a who's who of ethnobotany and shared their fascinating experiences studying and using such plants as Salvia Divinorum in Mexico, Ayahuasca in the Amazon region, and Betel nuts and kava kava in the South Pacific. And it's such a small world: I met people who lived in the same neighborhood where I grew up in San Mateo, Calif. and others who know friends in Mendocino county.
Our Research on Hawaiian Plants Continues
We now have over 50 species of plants that have Hawaiian names, whether it's the humble banana or the more exotic endangered Ko'oloa'ula (my personal favorite, featured on the front of our last newsletter). I have compiled an extensive list of their Hawaiian, botanical and common names, along with the properties and uses of each that I have gleaned from various sources. Check our web site soon for the addition of all of these species on the Endangered Plants page. As I learn more about what grows well here and what does not, the number of our common Western herbs is shrinking and the number of our Hawaiian plants is constantly growing.
New Jobs for Barb: the Former Writer Writes Again!
I'm pleased to announce that I am now a monthly columnist for the Hawaii Island Journal, a paper that focuses on political and environmental issues more than the mainstream press. My first column appeared March 1 and included information about Noni fruit and kava kava and a recipe for preparing these not-so-tasty but healthy plants into a great-tasting elixir. On April 1, readers will learn about tea: black and green tea and herbal teas, and I'll encourage them to make tea instead of purchasing it ready-made or in tea bags. My editor has encouraged me to express my opinion on pertinent issues, so I feel that I now have an excellent venue for promoting herbalism and environmental awareness on many levels.
I am also serving as secretary of our Aloha Marketplace Steering Committee, a group of people involved with the local farmer's market, at which I am an occasional vendor. The market has had problems with its leased locations and we are working on ways to stabilize the ongoingness of the market, for the benefit of the local Puna community which the market has in large part created by its very existence.
Tours and Gift Shop Are Attracting International Visitors
Our Ohana cottage is doubling as a gift shop, and this attractive display is part of it. Our herbal products are all for sale, as are baskets by garden manager Theresa, awesome sauces, and soon--herbal soaps by Karen Hall.
We've had visitors from Germany, France, Spain, Japan, Austria, and all over the United States. And we have begun to lead tours for groups: in January we welcomed 25 seniors from a nutrition program up the coast and we've connected with the East Hawaii Cultural Center's Docent program and the University of Hawaii at Hilo's "EdVentures" program.
My Continuing Education Continues in Oregon
I'll be venturing to southern Oregon in August to attend a class on making plant medicine with one of my gurus, Richo Cech of Horizon Herbs. They're the "Strictly Medicinal" seed company that supplies many of our seeds. I'm looking forward to the new information, enjoying the Horizon gardens and networking with some awesome herbalists.
New Responsibilities for Barb and Terra
Garden manager Terra is now also marketing manager for the garden. She is actively making contacts with local bed and breakfast inns and many other businesses with the goal of placing our rack card for guests and customers to take, so they will be enticed to visit the garden for a paid tour. The number of visitors is growing each week as a result of her good work.
As a very pleasant and unexpected side benefit of my monthly herb column in the Hawaii Island Journal, I have attracted the attention of the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Conference Center (EdVentures) and was hired to speak to an Elder Hostel group on May 18 at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Intern Katrina assisted me and we greatly enjoyed our dinner and socializing with the friendly elders before my talk. Future speaking engagements will happen as the Conference program needs me.
My column also brought me a writing assignment from a company called Aloha Wellness Travel. The organizers are creating a Hawaii Wellness Vacation Guidebook, with support from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The publication will include educational articles by wellness providers and information about different types of wellness vacations. The "new" Hawaii is marketing itself as more than beaches and resorts: the wellness angle is growing rapidly in many different areas. I say, hip-hip-hooray! Encouraging edu-tourism, agri-tourism, cultural tourism, eco-tourism, and health tourism is so important to bringing our state's economy back from several years of slumping tourism statistics and will help to position Hawaii as a place where visitors can come to benefit from many different health-related businesses, activities, treatments, retreats, and places of interest (such as Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden!).
We Have Applied For Our First Grant Through the USDA
With much excitement, I have submitted a preliminary application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's WHIP program. This is the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, which provides long-term federal cost-share funds to enhance and protect Hawaii's native wildlife, including the establishment of native plants. "The program is geared to providing cost-share funds for conservation practices on private lands that benefit free-ranging wildlife, particularly native species." I believe the Garden is a prime candidate for such grants and I am hopeful that we will be chosen to participate. Being awarded this grant could mean that we are able to develop the remainder of our one acre with plantings of Hawaiian natives. I just submitted the necessary paperwork on June 14 and will keep you posted. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Our "Trim Swim" Class Is Up and Running, or "Swimming"!
Now that the pool deck is finished and the winter storms have finally said good-bye, I have begun teaching an aqua aerobics class I call "Trim Swim." Intern Michelle is a regular student as is a neighbor. We swim to jazz music and rock oldies and have a ball. It's a great way to get in shape! We work out three days each week in the late afternoon--a perfect way to cool off after a long day in the garden, though the water temperature is often in the high 80's!
Volume 3, Number 3 Spring 2002
Our Wonderful Interns Continue to Make Important Contributions
April's intern was Maryann Mazzacaro, a kindergarten teacher on sabbatical from New York City. Although she had never gardened before, Maryann had fun cutting down a diseased papaya tree, harvesting a large stalk of bananas, helping garden manager Terra, and making some products with herbalist Barb.
During May we made use of our "Hale Pu'u" gazebo as lodging for the first time. Intern Elle Pickens, from the Seattle area and a new transplant to the Big Island, helped to "weatherize" it during her two-week stay during some very rainy weather. Thanks, Elle! I hope you didn't get TOO wet. Her comment in our guest book was that "sleeping in the gazebo was cosmic." It was a good experiment and allowed us to have two interns at once.
Our other May intern was Katrina Perreault, from Vermont. A recent high school graduate (and valedictorian of her class), Katrina was a quick study and a very hard worker. Elle and Katrina had so much in common it was almost eerie: the same birthday (10 years apart), and both mothers are third grade teachers.
We're currently hosting Michelle Kuhrt, a pharmacy doctoral student from University of North Carolina. I'm learning as much from her as she is from working in the garden and studying with me. She's here until July 17.
A Wonderful Conference on Maui in January
The "Plant People Reunion and Conference" on January 24-27 was an ethnobotanical experience par excellence! The presenters were a who's who of ethnobotany and shared their fascinating experiences studying and using such plants as Salvia Divinorum in Mexico, Ayahuasca in the Amazon region, and Betel nuts and kava kava in the South Pacific. And it's such a small world: I met people who lived in the same neighborhood where I grew up in San Mateo, Calif. and others who know friends in Mendocino county.
Our Research on Hawaiian Plants Continues
We now have over 50 species of plants that have Hawaiian names, whether it's the humble banana or the more exotic endangered Ko'oloa'ula (my personal favorite, featured on the front of our last newsletter). I have compiled an extensive list of their Hawaiian, botanical and common names, along with the properties and uses of each that I have gleaned from various sources. Check our web site soon for the addition of all of these species on the Endangered Plants page. As I learn more about what grows well here and what does not, the number of our common Western herbs is shrinking and the number of our Hawaiian plants is constantly growing.
New Jobs for Barb: the Former Writer Writes Again!
I'm pleased to announce that I am now a monthly columnist for the Hawaii Island Journal, a paper that focuses on political and environmental issues more than the mainstream press. My first column appeared March 1 and included information about Noni fruit and kava kava and a recipe for preparing these not-so-tasty but healthy plants into a great-tasting elixir. On April 1, readers will learn about tea: black and green tea and herbal teas, and I'll encourage them to make tea instead of purchasing it ready-made or in tea bags. My editor has encouraged me to express my opinion on pertinent issues, so I feel that I now have an excellent venue for promoting herbalism and environmental awareness on many levels.
I am also serving as secretary of our Aloha Marketplace Steering Committee, a group of people involved with the local farmer's market, at which I am an occasional vendor. The market has had problems with its leased locations and we are working on ways to stabilize the ongoingness of the market, for the benefit of the local Puna community which the market has in large part created by its very existence.
Tours and Gift Shop Are Attracting International Visitors
Our Ohana cottage is doubling as a gift shop, and this attractive display is part of it. Our herbal products are all for sale, as are baskets by garden manager Theresa, awesome sauces, and soon--herbal soaps by Karen Hall.
We've had visitors from Germany, France, Spain, Japan, Austria, and all over the United States. And we have begun to lead tours for groups: in January we welcomed 25 seniors from a nutrition program up the coast and we've connected with the East Hawaii Cultural Center's Docent program and the University of Hawaii at Hilo's "EdVentures" program.
My Continuing Education Continues in Oregon
I'll be venturing to southern Oregon in August to attend a class on making plant medicine with one of my gurus, Richo Cech of Horizon Herbs. They're the "Strictly Medicinal" seed company that supplies many of our seeds. I'm looking forward to the new information, enjoying the Horizon gardens and networking with some awesome herbalists.
New Responsibilities for Barb and Terra
Garden manager Terra is now also marketing manager for the garden. She is actively making contacts with local bed and breakfast inns and many other businesses with the goal of placing our rack card for guests and customers to take, so they will be enticed to visit the garden for a paid tour. The number of visitors is growing each week as a result of her good work.
As a very pleasant and unexpected side benefit of my monthly herb column in the Hawaii Island Journal, I have attracted the attention of the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Conference Center (EdVentures) and was hired to speak to an Elder Hostel group on May 18 at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Intern Katrina assisted me and we greatly enjoyed our dinner and socializing with the friendly elders before my talk. Future speaking engagements will happen as the Conference program needs me.
My column also brought me a writing assignment from a company called Aloha Wellness Travel. The organizers are creating a Hawaii Wellness Vacation Guidebook, with support from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The publication will include educational articles by wellness providers and information about different types of wellness vacations. The "new" Hawaii is marketing itself as more than beaches and resorts: the wellness angle is growing rapidly in many different areas. I say, hip-hip-hooray! Encouraging edu-tourism, agri-tourism, cultural tourism, eco-tourism, and health tourism is so important to bringing our state's economy back from several years of slumping tourism statistics and will help to position Hawaii as a place where visitors can come to benefit from many different health-related businesses, activities, treatments, retreats, and places of interest (such as Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden!).
We Have Applied For Our First Grant Through the USDA
With much excitement, I have submitted a preliminary application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's WHIP program. This is the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, which provides long-term federal cost-share funds to enhance and protect Hawaii's native wildlife, including the establishment of native plants. "The program is geared to providing cost-share funds for conservation practices on private lands that benefit free-ranging wildlife, particularly native species." I believe the Garden is a prime candidate for such grants and I am hopeful that we will be chosen to participate. Being awarded this grant could mean that we are able to develop the remainder of our one acre with plantings of Hawaiian natives. I just submitted the necessary paperwork on June 14 and will keep you posted. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Our "Trim Swim" Class Is Up and Running, or "Swimming"!
Now that the pool deck is finished and the winter storms have finally said good-bye, I have begun teaching an aqua aerobics class I call "Trim Swim." Intern Michelle is a regular student as is a neighbor. We swim to jazz music and rock oldies and have a ball. It's a great way to get in shape! We work out three days each week in the late afternoon--a perfect way to cool off after a long day in the garden, though the water temperature is often in the high 80's!
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