Kamaʻāina Specialty Permaculture Plant Nursery: Grow, Cook, Eat

GROW

1. Observe and Interact: Last year we grew narcissus, tomatoes, strawberries, morning glories, watermelon, pumpkin, crook neck squash, roses, and nasturtiums. This year I wanted to find out what people wanted to grow/eat directly so I asked our Garden Club, people said kale. Two people… and also beets. Also milkweed, red morning glories, pollinator flowers, beans, peas, and corn. So starting the year with kale for the community and Italian Basil for myself.
2. Catch and Store Energy: My area runs on geothermal and partial solar energy, that runs my aeroponic basins in the kitchen and that is like a catch and store energy system to me. Right now 12 kale are growing on those systems.
3. Obtain a Yield: Right now there are 12 sprouts but I don’t know how long it will take to obtain a yield, I think they will leave my hands as starts and not as traditional plants.
4. Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback:
5. Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services: Part of our electricity is solar and the other part is geothermal so they are both renewable, our water is rainwater and that is renewable.
6. Produce no Waste: Using Bokashi for the plant scraps.
7. Design from Patterns to Details: Trying to replicate the germination station at 3 more houses and then maybe each of those can give starts or training to more germination stations.
8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate: Trying to add on Ohia Lehua, Koa, and Sandalwood reforestation into the Farm Together produce project.
9. Use Small and Slow Solutions: The aeroponic kitchen gardens, the garden club, and starting from seeds are all small and slow solutions.
10. Use and Value Diversity: Looked up the companion plant for kale is onions to keep pests off, so don’t have any onions right now, but possibly will start some with the kale.
11. Use the Edges and Value the Marginal: With Kale eaten raw it will need to be grown semi-indoors in our area so that will help us create transition zones from small aeroponic start areas to medium aeroponic cultivation areas.
12. Create, Use and Respond to Change: In a way kale helps us respond to the Rat Lung parasite in our area by forcing us partially onto aeroponic systems in most areas.

– March 2nd 2023