““SMALL IS BEAUTIFULSMALL IS BEAUTIFUL””

E. F. Schumacher, economist 1911-1977

Nutrition Education Nutrition Education For WellnessFor Wellness

NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR WELLNESS (NEW) is a statewide "umbrella concept" program that facilitates consumer foods and nutrition education.

Within this program is LIFESKILLS in FOOD EDUCATION – INTEGRATED AND INTERGENERATIONAL, or LIFE-II. An integrated and intergenerational project consisting of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and UH-CES Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education (SNAP-Ed). Providing practical life skills in food and nutrition for Hawaii's limited income population. http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/new/index.html

Some background: EFNEPSome background: EFNEP

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) funded by USDA(EFNEP) funded by USDA

Assists limited resource families with childrenAssists limited resource families with children

Teaches Teaches ‘‘foodskillsfoodskills’’ : basic nutrition, food safety : basic nutrition, food safety and food budgeting in a series of 4and food budgeting in a series of 4--6 lessons6 lessons

Our goal is the improvement of the total family Our goal is the improvement of the total family diet and nutritional welldiet and nutritional well--beingbeing

Works throughout the state of Hawaii (Works throughout the state of Hawaii (OO’’ahuahu, , HawaiHawai’’i, Maui and i, Maui and KauaKaua’’ii) ) http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/food/efnep/efnep.htmlhttp://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/food/efnep/efnep.htmlhttp://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/new/efnep/http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/new/efnep/

Grow Your OwnGrow Your Own

Pilot program to take the nutrition Pilot program to take the nutrition message one step further message one step further –– to home food to home food productionproduction

Gardening and food production techniquesGardening and food production techniques

Our goal is to increase the amount of Our goal is to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables our clients eatfruits and vegetables our clients eat

Our version of Our version of ‘‘small is beautifulsmall is beautiful’’

What weWhat we’’ve done so farve done so far

Partnership with Pearl City Urban Garden Partnership with Pearl City Urban Garden Center Center

Demonstration garden at PCUGCDemonstration garden at PCUGC

Assistance from the Oahu Master Assistance from the Oahu Master Gardener ProgramGardener Program

Collecting data for cost effectivenessCollecting data for cost effectiveness

Designing and piloting a new curriculumDesigning and piloting a new curriculum

Cost effectivenessCost effectiveness

It needs to be worthwhile for limited It needs to be worthwhile for limited income clientsincome clients

Data collection to track cost of basic Data collection to track cost of basic inputs (seeds, seedlings, soil conditioner, inputs (seeds, seedlings, soil conditioner, compost, manure, fertilizer)compost, manure, fertilizer)

Data collection to track output per Data collection to track output per container or gardencontainer or garden

Square foot gardeningSquare foot gardening

Our version of a square foot garden (3 ft sq.)

Kale, green onions, basil, tomato, beans, lettuce

Costs Costs (Nov 2009 (Nov 2009 –– Sept 2010)Sept 2010)

Inputs:Inputs:Soil conditioning compostSoil conditioning compost $13.44$13.44Chicken manureChicken manure $ 2.35$ 2.35Seeds and transplantsSeeds and transplants $12.16$12.16

$27.95$27.95Outputs:Outputs:46.6 lbs of fresh produce46.6 lbs of fresh producevalue based on current localvalue based on current localsupermarket pricessupermarket prices $250.45$250.45

Does not include labor or cost of irrigation

Square foot gardeningSquare foot gardening

Our 4 ft Our 4 ft square square gardengarden

Eggplant, kale, green onions, corn, beans, tatsoi

Coolers and bagsCoolers and bags

Tomato in a bag and

pineapple in a fish cooler

Cost: $4.24 bag, $0.86 seedling

Yield: approx 5lb. @ $4.99/lb = $24.50

Cost: $0 cooler bag, $0 slips/suckers

Yield: approx 9.7lb @ $1.19/lb = $11.54

Buckets and barrelsBuckets and barrels

Sweet potato Sweet potato –– ‘‘too big for its buckettoo big for its bucket’’

Barrels, cut them either way

More buckets and coolersMore buckets and coolers

GREEN ONIONS

Cost: $0 styrofoam, $0.86 starts

Yield: approx 2lb. @ $7.00/lb = $14.00

GREEN BUSH BEANS

Cost: $0 for 5 gall bucket, $1 seeds

Yield: approx 1.7lb. @ $3.99/lb = $6.78

DidnDidn’’t work outt work out

Pigeon peas, Pigeon peas, kabochakabocha, corn, green peppers, , corn, green peppers, wing beans, papaya, cucumber, soy bean wing beans, papaya, cucumber, soy bean -- all in all in buckets (buckets (poor yield, plants diedpoor yield, plants died))

Minimal success: mixed containers in Minimal success: mixed containers in soilsoil (Asian (Asian greens/green onion/beans/kale) and eggplant in greens/green onion/beans/kale) and eggplant in bucket (bucket (short growing periodshort growing period))

Economically marginal: greens (Economically marginal: greens (bokbok choychoy, , lettuce, lettuce, tatsoitatsoi, , kaikai choychoy) low $$ yield compared ) low $$ yield compared to store costto store cost

Inputs $$Inputs $$

Cost of inputs per bucket:Cost of inputs per bucket:1 bucket soil conditioning compost1 bucket soil conditioning compost $ 4.24$ 4.24NutricoteNutricote (1 tablespoon)(1 tablespoon) $ 0.09$ 0.09Seeds and transplantsSeeds and transplants $ 0.86$ 0.86

$ 5.19$ 5.19

Does not include labor or cost of bucket or irrigation

Outputs $$ per bucketOutputs $$ per bucket

CropCrop YieldYieldlbs.lbs.

Price/lbPrice/lb YieldYield$$

‘‘ProfitProfit’’

Green Green beans beans (pole)(pole)

2.5 lbs2.5 lbs(2(2--4 plants)4 plants)

$4.99$4.99 $12.48$12.48 $7.29$7.29

Tomato Tomato (over 6 months)(over 6 months)

6.5 lbs6.5 lbs $4.99$4.99 $ 32.20$ 32.20 $27.01$27.01

ChardChard(over 1 year)(over 1 year)

4.8 lbs4.8 lbs $11.18$11.18 $ 54.35$ 54.35 $49.16$49.16

TatsoiTatsoi 1.1lb1.1lb $1.70$1.70 $1.87$1.87 --$3.32$3.32

KISSKISS: : KKeep eep IIt t SSmall and mall and SSimpleimple

Lessons Lessons

Getting Started Getting Started (materials, design, containers, (materials, design, containers, potting mixes)potting mixes)

Plants and PlantingPlants and Planting

CompostCompost

Feeding and WateringFeeding and Watering

Just Eat It Just Eat It (harvesting and food safety)(harvesting and food safety)

Pests, Diseases and ProblemsPests, Diseases and Problems

FutureFuture

Economically viableEconomically viable

Increase the amount of fruits and Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables our clients eat a little at a time vegetables our clients eat a little at a time (small IS beautiful)(small IS beautiful)

Pilot with clients starting early 2011Pilot with clients starting early 2011

GROW YOUR OWN IN ACTIONGROW YOUR OWN IN ACTION