Garden Classrooms

Founded in 2006, Malama Kaua’i is a community-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that focuses on advocating, educating, and driving action towards a sustainable Kaua’i. We consider the interrelatedness of all issues and the need for a holistic approach, with a focus on three primary areas:

‘Aina.  We are rooted in the core value of aloha ‘aina (love and connection to the land). We create solutions that foster sustainability and work in harmony with nature while producing abundant, healthy and local food.

Established in 2009, our garden is a living laboratory that’s utilized to reinforce Common Core Standards, including science, math, history, and language arts while also providing an engaging environment to participate in the cycle of growing food.  The garden consists of a diverse array of fruits and vegetables. We focus on varieties of fruits and vegetables that are not only nutritious but historically and culturally significant, from heirloom beans, maize, quinoa, amaranth, and winter squash in the summer, to fava beans, wheat, kale, broccoli, and potatoes in the cooler months.

     More than a decade ago, The Friendship Garden began in an empty,  littered lot. It now hosts apple  and plum trees,  12 raised garden beds, raspberries  and an outdoor learning space for class lessons. Children in grades pre-k to 5th grade, learn about all aspects of gardening from seed  to plant. 

We have a school garden with a dozen large beds that was started by a parent volunteer group. We have enough seating for a class to meet and use the garden for lessons. A Garden Club meets each week and parent volunteers staff those gatherings. Classrooms visit on a regular basis with the support of parent volunteers.