Sonatas of the Soil are short films that go deeply into specific topics from the soon to be released feature documentary Symphony of the Soil by filmmaker Deborah Koons Garcia (The Future of Food.) Soil Testing for Growing Better Food talk by Dr. Jana Bogs, who will also moderate discussion and answer soil questions.

Transition Town Totnes, 2011, 13 minutes
Transition Town Totnes is a short film featuring Transition movement founder Rob Hopkins as he discusses the core principles of the Transition Initiative, a global community response to the twin pressures of climate change and peak oil.

Soil In Good Heart, 2008, 13 minutes
Soil in Good Heart is a brief look at why good soil fertility is vital to life. It illustrates how valuable soil is to society and how it’s been neglected at our peril. A mini-primer on what we’ve done to soil and how we can fix it!

Sekem Vision, 2011, 14 minutes
Sekem Vision features the sustainable development and business pioneers Dr Ibrahim Abouleish and his son, Helmy Abouleish as they discuss their vision for the comprehensive development initiative, Sekem, a giant biodynamic farming community in the deserts of Egypt.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
3:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Hala’ula Makai

Tickets Available Here

Turning fields into an al fresco dining room…

Chef Rio Miceli will present you with an elegant feast…

Chef Rio Miceli with hand crafted, wood-fired oven!

Sourced from locally grown food served in a coastal farm setting!

$50.00 tickets available here

Saturday, May 5th, 8 am – 12 pm
Ho’ea Road

Sage Farms is a sustainable, certified organic family farm that provide greens and vegetables to many local restaurants, stores and individuals. Palili ‘O Kohala is a ten family cooperative that is primarily focused on growing taro using Korean Natural Farming to increase yields. Lokahi Farms is a diversified farm and retreat with forest, trails, vegetable and medicinal herb gardens.

Please purchase tickets in advance.

End a week of Earth Day activities by learning more about the soil—“the ecstatic skin of the earth.” Presentations, Hands-on activities and Dirt! The Movie.

Presentations, 12 – 1:30 pm:

Hawaiians in the Agricultural Environment
Noa Lincoln, PhD candidate Stanford University (via Skype)
Noa’s current research includes investigations of nutrient cycles in indigenous agricultural systems and an interpretation of ecosystem services of various modern agricultural systems. Noa will talk about the “native” soils of Hawai‘i and the Hawai‘i i Ecosystems Project conducted by his professor Dr. Peter Vitousek and others in the Kohala Field System. His talk focuses on how Hawaiians molded themselves and their agriculture to the environments of Hawaii, and how we can emulate them today. Noa deeply embraces the Hawaiian way of thinking, which places environment at the core of human well-being. This value has become the backbone of his professional and academic accomplishments, and the guiding principle he applies to life.

The Soil Food Web
Leon Luce
Leon has been a gardener and farmer for 30 years, he and his wife currently manage 13 acres of fruit trees, bananas, and various garden crops. Leon will talk about the Soil Food Web and how it effects what we grow. He has been following the work of Dr. Elaine Ingham for nearly twelve years and recently attended her week long intensive training on the Soil Food Web.

Make fertilizer at home in 15 minutes
Drake Weinert
Drake believes in starting with your self, and the way you eat, is the surest way to find health and longevity, and when you really start to think about nutrition, it all comes back to healthy soil, so let’s start there. Drake recently demonstrated the rejuvenating power of Natural Farming in downtown Hilo by growing over 200 lbs of kalo and 200 lbs of sweet potatoes in a previously poisoned 20 x 100 ft triangle median with a total cost of fertilizer materials was less than $10.

Hands on, 1:30 – 2:30 pm:

Building a Raised Garden Bed (at waist height) from recycled materials with David Fuertes.

Dirt! The Movie, 2:30 – 4:00 pm

DIRT! The Movie takes you inside the wonders of the soil. It tells the story of Earth’s most valuable and underappreciated source of fertility—from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation. DIRT! the Movie—narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis—brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has. It shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MAY!

May 1 – 30
Strategic Planning for North Kohala’s Food Self-Sufficiency
Sign up to host a small group meeting at your home or business.

Saturday, May 5th
Kohala Farm to Fork Tour! Visit local farms and sample the goods!
$10, Ho’ea Road
Tickets here.

Saturday, May 12th

Think Local, Buy Local, Eat Local
11 am – 5 pm, Downtown Hawi.
Local food! Made in Kohala products! Great deals at local businesses!

Saturday, May 12th

The Farm Table
3 – 8 pm, Hala’ulu Makai
A celebration of farmers and local flavors turning fields into an al fresco dining room. Chef Rio Miceli will present you with an elegant feast sourced from locally grown food served in a coastal farm setting.
$50
Tickets Here.

Kohala Farm-to Fork Tour, Sat., May 5th, 8 am – 12 pm, Ho’ea Road
$10- Buy Here!

The Farm Table, Sat., May 12th, 3 pm – 8 pm, Hala’ula Makai
$50- Buy Here!