Waianu Farms, Waiahole

June 21, 2012

 

Workshop fact sheet (includes farmer profile, topic description and helpful resources)

 

For this first in the Master Farmer series of workshops, farmer’s Paul and Charlie Reppun hosted participants at their farm in Waiahole. After approaching the farm via a short walk and stream crossing, participants gathered in the rustic setting to listen to the speakers.

After a welcome from Oʻahu RC&D’s Executive Director, Jean Brokish, Master Farmer, Paul Reppun and Ben Vinhatiero of NRCS explained how NRCS helps farms like Waianu to develop conservation plans. Ben gave specific examples of Waianu farm workshop the unique challenges the Reppuns faced with their conservation plan. To help illustrate what was involved, he displayed maps of the Waianu Farm property developed by NRCS for the Reppuns.

The group began the farm tour by first visiting an Albizia control project to see their use of tree cuttings to help stabilize slopes and add organic matter. On the tour the group also visited the kalo loʻi, viewed a wide variety of plants grown on the farm, including kalo, cashew, cacao and vanilla, and learned about their efforts to utilize local resources as much as possible – including alien limu as a fertilizer and hydroelectric power.

The workshop closed with a presentation by Hector Valenzuela of UH CTAHR about the University’s program services, and the science supporting what the Reppuns are doing in terms of biodiversity, soil amendments and nutrient cycling.

 

 

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Handouts:

• Oʻahu RC&D Aquaponics Fact Sheet
• Food Safety Checklist
• Basics of Aquaponics Presentation – Fred Lau, Mari’s Gardens
• Current Research in Aquaponics Presentation– Clyde Tamaru, UH-CTAHR

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Web Resources:

• Hawaiʻi Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association
• Aquaculture Hub
• Aquaponics Journal

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Publications:

• “Construction of Automatic Bell Siphons for Backyard Aquaponic Systems”
• “Small-Scale Lettuce Production with Hydroponics or Aquaponics”
• “On-Farm Food Safety: Aquaponics”
• “Testing Your Aquaponic System Water: A Comparison of Commercial Water Chemistry Methods”
• “Aquaponics – Integration of Hydroponics with Aquaculture” (available for purchase from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service)

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