Feeding families and community.
OAR: ‘Ohana Agricultural Resilience
The ‘Ohana Agricultural Resilience (OAR) program trains North Kohala residents to grow food for themselves and their community. Kahua Pa‘a Mua believes that the North Kohala community is strengthened through a multi-generational, family-based approach to training.
The OAR project has two goals: 1) To strengthen community resilience, and; 2) Increase food self-reliance and access to healthy, locally grown food for residents of North Kohala.
OAR is training and equipping families to efficiently grow their own backyard protein (fish and pork) with aquaponics systems for fish and vegetables, and odorless pig pen systems for pork. The project also provides training, land, equipment and infrastructure for growing crops. Participants are growing and distributing surplus yields of fresh, locally grown vegetables to the North Kohala community.
Families attend training in subjects such as Animal Husbandry (pigs); Aquaponics; Natural Farming; Crops Cultivation; Equipment Use and Repair; Food Processing; Food Safety; Agricultural Entrepreneurship; Fencing; Irrigation. Free backyard aquaponics and pig systems are given to participant families who attend all the required training sessions.
‘Ohana Agricultural Resilience (OAR) is funded through a grant from the USDA NIFA Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program with additional support from the Atherton Family Foundation. Our OAR Families expanded food production in order to assist families impacted by COVID-19 with support from the Dorrance Family Foundation.
Header photo: Malia Welch.
Gibbs family—learning, prepping and planting together.
Training to Grow Crops and Animals
OAR families are trained to grow crops using Natural Farming and other non-chemical methods of soil preparation, planting, fertilizing and pest control. Families learn a variety of essential farm skills: Fencing, irrigation, equipment repair, making natural fertilizers and pesticides, soil preparation, pest control, planting, cultivation and animal husbandry.
OAR provides systems for families to grow fish, chickens and pigs in their own backyards.
Backyard Fish, Chickens and Pigs
In partnership with MALAMA Waimanalo OAR families received training in how to build and maintain low-cost backyard aquaponics systems to grow fish and vegetables. Other backyard systems are a deep litter pig systems and chicken tractors. Having a backyard protein system builds family cohesion, supports healthy eating and provides food for a family and the community. Families who complete the program receive a free aquaponics, chicken or pig system for their backyards. (see below for pics!)
The Keawe ‘ohana and other OAR families have distributed hundreds of pounds of produce in the North Kohala community.
Distributing Food
Food self-sufficiency and community resiliency have always been goals for Kahua Pa’a Mua, but no one could have predicted how relevant the OAR project was to become as our North Kohala community was economically impacted by layoffs due to COVID-19. OAR families self-organized to plant more crops and have been growing and giving away hundreds of pounds of beans, cucumbers, bok choy, zucchini, lettuce and poi, with more to come.
Aquaponics Training with MALAMA Aquaponics
Pouring in the growing medium- cinders.
Aquaponics crew installing a system at Kohala High School.
MALAMA aquaponics taught the OAR families how to make 'olena (tumeric) tonic and other healthy recipes from 'olena grown in an aquaponics system.
Making the tables for the base of the system.
Getting instructions on the plumbing and pump.
The many benefits of aquaponics!
Painting the tables.
Putting it all together.
Kahua Pa’a Mua employs a multi-generational approach to learning based on the Hawaiian culture. Melding modern methods with traditional knowledge we are seeding a “Backyard Revolution,” providing families with the resources to grow food in their own backyards.
Aiona 'Ohana. Photo by Malia Welch.
Perez 'Ohana. Photo by Malia Welch.
Beldon Kealoha. Photo by Malia Welch.
Gibbs Ohana. Photo by Malia Welch.
Keawe 'Ohana. Photo by Malia Welch.
Teaching the keiki to make poi. Photo by Malia Welch.
Social distanced opening circle. Photo by Malia Welch.
Kahua Pa'a Mua has a focus on working bringing families together through traditional agricultural practices. Photo by Malia Welch.
Prepping the rows for crops.
Perez family green bean harvest!
Future farmers!
Bok Choy was harvested and distributed in the community.
Gibb's 'ohana with plenty cukes.
MALAMA Aquaponics and Kahua Pa'a Mua OAR staff.