Growing Heirloom Squash For Hawaii’s Families By HPSI’s Ceres Trust Mini Grant Program recipient Anna Peach of Squash and Awe Farm

Project Concept: Identify and breed a strong local landrace Hand pollinate for seed purity

Visit the most interested communities

Goals : Share and inspire heirloom crop research. Encourage local food production by providing seed

Na’alehu Public Library

Pahala Public Library

Advise from soil to seed to stomach

Seed breeding and distribution

Providing research ideas

And pest control methods

Invite librarians to participate in agriculture education

As well as cooking Seeds from gifted pumpkin were saved, and shared with the community while the pumpkins fed the library staff in the week following the workshop Seeds from gifted pumpkin were saved, and shared with the community while the pumpkins fed the library staff in the week following the workshop

School visit

Connect the farm to the classroom

Farmer to Farmer Visits

Reach Three workshop locations, three farm visits, and two classrooms within the underserved Ka’u district. Over 55 people received seeds from 10 hand pollinated pumpkins from my farm in Waimea. These individuals also received troubleshooting advice either online or in person. 4 people were responsible for seed drying and distribution of over 200 seeds from the 4 additional hand pollinated pumpkins that were left as gifts to the community. Over 40 people and library employees were able to attend either a workshop, or benefit from a “farmer to farmer” field visit.

Result Because of this program approximately 445 beautiful Black Kabocha plants will be feeding the people of Ka’u and beyond…120 days from now

Mahalo to HPSI’s Ceres Trust Mini Grant for helping me to help others

Pau