Kohala Center Offers Training for Fruit & Veg Growers

Kohala Center photo.

The Kohala Center is offering a two-day workshop at Maui at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College on Nov. 6 and 7. to train new and seasoned fruit and vegetable growers to meet food-safety standards and the needs of wholesale markets. Register by Nov. 2.

Classes will also be held in Waimea on Hawai‘i Island on Nov. 3 and 4 at the KahiluTown Hall (register by Oct. 30) and in Ho‘olehua on Moloka‘i on Nov. 9 and 10 at the Lanikeha Community Center (register by Nov. 5).

Trainers include Atina Diey, Jan Tusick and Karl Sutton.

Atina Diey. Kohola Center photo.

Jan Tusick. Kohala Center photo.

Karl Sutton. Kohala Center photo.

Diey is an organic farmer, public speaker, consultant and author of the 2012 memoir, Turn Here Sweet Corn. 

Tusick is the founder and director of Mission Mountain Market Food Enterprise Center, a division of Lake County (Montana) Community Development Corporation.

Sutton is the owner of Fresh Roots Farm and cooperative development specialist of the Lake County Community Development Corporation’s Cooperative Development Program Wholesale Success Workshop for Vegetable and Fruit Growers.

A registration fee of $25 per person includes lunch both days and pūpū at the meet-and-greet event.

Register online or by calling The Kohala Center at (808) 887-6411.

A limited number of scholarships is available. Contact Stella Caban at scaban@kohalacenter.org for more information.

Daily Schedule
DAY 1
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: The business of wholesale distribution and marketing.
5 to 6 p.m. Meet and Greet Mixer with distributors.
DAY 2
8 a.m. to noon: Cooperative models for farmers.
Noon to 5 p.m. On-farm food safety walk (farms TBD)