Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook is celebrating Hawaiian plants and culture at their Grow Hawaiian Festival 2025. From 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, the community is invited to this free family-friendly annual event.
The 15-acre botanical garden at 82-6160 Mamalahoa Highway in Captain Cook is home to more than 200 native Hawaiian plants and provides a beautiful setting for this fun event. Lots of interesting activities are planned for this year.
At the festival, you’ll be able to talk story with local artisans and cultural practitioners as they demonstrate practices including kapa making, gourd carving, lauhala weaving, cordage making and traditional dyeing.
Hands-on workshops will include lei making and poi pounding, and guided garden tours will be offered several times during the day. The tours are an opportunity to visit and learn about the garden’s rare and endangered native plants, a collection that provides a living connection to Hawaii’s ecological and cultural heritage
For a chance to try locally grown sugar cane, ulu, awa, coconuts and bananas stop at one of the booths offering traditional Hawaiian food for sampling. At these booths you can learn ways to grow your own crops including breadfruit and kava.
As a hub for education and conservation, the garden inspires community partners in stewardship and conservation to join the event. Displays and representatives from many organizations advancing this mission will include the UH Master Gardeners and UH CTAHR, along with NRCS, Hawaii Island Seed Bank, Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative, Pu‘uhonua O Honaunau, Big Island Invasive Species Council, the Palamanui Dry Forst Preserve, Maui Nui Botanical Gardens and Conservation Dogs of Hawaii.
More information on several of these organizations will be offered by informative speakers scheduled throughout the day. The new speakers’ venue, Pulelehua, will comfortably host speakers and listeners in Amy Greenwell’s old house close to the road on the makai part of the property.
Noa Lincoln, professor of indigenous crops and cropping systems at UH Manoa, will share information on the cultivation of Hawaiian staple crops.
Jill Wagner, as the director of the Hawaii Island Seed Bank, will offer information on the Seed Bank and answer questions about why and how to save seeds.
The Education Coordinator at Amy Greenwell Garden, Sylvia Texeira, will fill us in on the latest educational programs that the garden is planning.
Along with her dogs, Teri Rolph will demonstrate the training they have received to sniff out little fire ants. As founder of Conservation Dogs of Hawaii, Teri is actively training dogs to perform skills useful to local farmers.
A full program of live music will provide a background to the busy activities of the day. Tani Waip, and Keola Grace along with Sean Parks with Heua’ola-Sai Dudoit and Maka Gallenger are planning to offer a variety of musical numbers for your enjoyment.
If you are in the mood to take home something from the event, check out the pop-up Hawaiian arts market, a makeke, in the visitor center. You’ll find books, tee shirts and art work for sale there. Close by will be selected vendors booths selling related items. Several food booths will be set up in the same area offering taste treats for your culinary pleasure.
Once you’ve tried it all, you might want to stop at one of the booths offering sessions in Lomi Lomi massage or just find a seat somewhere in the garden to relax.
This annual celebration serves as a partial fulfillment of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden’s mission: to preserve and perpetuate native Hawaiian plants and the cultural practices that sustain them.
Parking for this event is available above the garden’s Visitor Center or on the lower level of Kealakekua Ranch Center, with shuttles to the garden provided by Hawaii Forest and Trail.
For more information about the garden or this event, go to the website at www.amygreenwell.garden. You can also address questions about the garden or this event to their email address: info@amygreenwell.garden or call their office at (808) 896-3901.
Thanks goes out to supporters of the garden and a generous donation from Choice Mart for this event.
Don’t miss this festival. The garden will have a lively, welcoming atmosphere, guaranteeing the event will be a popular celebration for residents and visitors alike.
Gardening Events
Tuesday, Feb. 18: “Coffee Pruning, Leaf and Soil Sampling Field Day in Ka’u” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Ka‘u Coffee Mill at 96-2694 Wood Valley Road in Pahala. Registration is required. Call or email Matt at 808-322-0164 or mnmiyahi@hawaii.edu at least 2 days prior.
Ongoing: “Pre-order Leaf Resistant Coffee Trees” from UH CTAHR office in Kainaliu. Catimor hybrid seedlings and grafted trees are available. Conventionally grown, not organic. Trees grafted on liberica rootstock (coffee root-knot nematode-tolerant) are $15/ ungrafted seedlings $10. Available first come, first serve basis. Email andreak@hawaii.edu to express interest. A waiver and release form must be signed prior to purchase.
Save the Dates
Tuesday, Feb. 25: “Coffee Symposium and Trade Show” at the Outrigger Kona’s Kaleiopapa Conference Center with the Trade Show immediately adjacent. Sponsorships and registration available at the Kona Coffee Farmers’ Association website.
Wednesday, Feb. 26: “Avocado Lace Bug Management and Control” from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Kona Research &Extension Center at 79-7381 Mamalahoa Highway in Kainaliu. Registration is required; email Andrea Kawabata at andreak@hawaii.edu. Free in person event.
Thursdays through March 2025: “Coffee Related Research and Management Update Webinars” Starting at noon. Registration is required at www.hawaiicoffeeed.com/coffeewebinars or contact Matt at 808-322-0164 two days prior. Live Q&A follows each session.
Farmer Direct Markets
(Check websites for the latest hours and online markets)
Wednesday &Friday: “Ho‘oulu Farmers Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.- Sheraton Kona Resort at Keauhou Bay
Saturday: “Keauhou Farmers Market” 8 a.m. to noon at Keauhou Shopping Center
“Kamuela Farmer’s Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at Pukalani Stables
“Waimea Town Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Parker School in central Waimea
“Waimea Homestead Farmers Market” from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Waimea middle and elementary school playground
Sunday: “Pure Kona Green Market” 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook
“Hamakua Harvest” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hwy 19 and Mamane Street in Honokaa
Plant Advice Lines
Anytime: konamg@hawaii.edu
Tuesdays &Thursdays: 9 a.m. to noon at UH-CES in Kainaliu; 322-4893 or walk in
Mon., Tues. &Fri: 9 a.m. to noon at UH CES at Konohana in Hilo 981-5199 or walk in
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living on Oahu and working part time in Kona.
