Seeding the Future of Life in Our Farms & Gardens;
Creating abundance through stewardship and education

This is the goal of our Annual Seed Exchanges held each year on both sides of the island - Kona side in the early summer and Puna side in the fall.

Our focus is on helping others grow local foods with locally adapted plants and seed.  Our vision is to share our abundance and experience with like-minded eco-farmers and gardeners interested in creating a vibrant local food economy and an ecological growing community. 

Each year seed exchanges are held on the Kona-side at Amy Greenwall Garden in the early summer and in the fall on the Eastside of the island.  Our focus is to help each other work towards obtaining Island food security by growing and sharing locally adapted seed.  Our vision is to share our abundance and experience with like-minded eco-farmers, gardeners and anyone interested in creating a vibrant local food economy and an ecological growing community.

ALL SEEDS GIVEN ARE FREE OR TRADED!  Everyone is welcome - If you have nothing to exchange or give away this year, but are interested in growing your own food and obtaining local, adapted seeds and plants and learning from others - come, find seeds from plants that you would like to grow and share in the future with others.

The exchange will feature a presentation by UH researcher Tommy Thompson who will explain the problem and status of the Little Fire Ant. 

We will end this special day with a presentation “Food Security – Pacifika Style” by Craig Ellevitch, photographer and author. A 30-minute photo-rich presentation about Hawai'i food security using traditional Pacific island agricultural systems as models for appropriate stable and sustainable agricultural systems. He will showing images of traditional agricultural systems in Samoa, Tonga, Palau, Yap, and Guam and describe how these age-old systems can guide us in achieving sustainability in Hawai'i and elsewhere in the tropics.

In Hawai`i we are blessed with so many diverse climatic environments in short distances. Locating seed saved from local areas with similar environments will help you to grow plants that are becoming adapted to specific areas and will grow more vigorously.  Each year more and more people attend this amazing event and the diversity of seeds and plants grows continually - corn, beans, herbs, collards, kale, lettuces and so much more!!! EVERYTHING GIVEN IS FREE OR TRADED. 

If you have need of a table or chair please bring your own and come early to be assured of a space for set up.

Schedule:

7:30 set up,

8:30 Opening ceremony,

9:00 -11:00 Exchange,

11:00 -12:15 Presentations

12:15 closing.  bring a lunch and stay after the closing to join old friends and new.If you have need of a table or chair please bring your own and come early to be assured of a space for set up.

Directions: Take hwy 130 South past Pahoa. After you pass the turn for the Leilani subdivision  on the left  Ala ili Rd. will be the next Road on the Right (just past the old industrial ruins on the right). You will see an “Event” sign at the road entrance.  Go almost to the end of the road and you will see the sign at the driveway on the right. Attendants will help you park and unload.

Call 808-936-7040 after 7 Pm or on weekends for more information.

To everyone who is looking forward to the 3rd Annual Eastside Seed Exchange on October 13th at La’akea Gardens please note this important change.

Due to the potential danger of unknowingly sharing the little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata)in contaminated soil, plants and plant material, we are asking that only dried seeds (nothing in pods or husks) be brought to the exchange this year.  We have recently learned of the gravity of this growing pest problem, especially to organic/eco growers on the eastside.  We also cannot take the chance of the introduction to our host and community treasure La’akea Gardens.  There will be a presentation about this serious pest at the event so all will understand our reluctance in making this decision. Please pass the word DRY SEEDS only, no soil exchange!

None of the Following will be allowed at the exchange this year:

    Bare rooted plants

    Seeds in pods or husks

    Leaf material

    Plants in soil

Ps.  there are over 50 known sites of little fire ant infestations on the eastside.  Test all plant material coming on your land with a stick smeared with peanut butter.  These ants are red, 1/16” long and fall off the stick easily when tapped.  They can be positively identified by bringing (frozen) to the Department of Agriculture in Hilo (974-4140).