Maui Body and Farm Health Conference Set Up Day

The day started early preparing for the Maui Body and Soil Farm Health Conference and while I left the Farm around 6pm, the day is still not over. We still have sign-ups coming in. Go to http://www.mauigrown.com/ to read more on the conference

The set-up in Olinda Maui at Kumulani Farms was pretty intense and a lot of work. I left before the rest of the crew, but we have five tents set up for Speakers, Vendors, Registration, Kitchen and Dining.

Getting the generator, thanks to Service Rentals, and power connected for everyone was a job in itself.

The sound system is in place. Tomorrow bright and early the projectors, computers and video needs to be set up.

Vendors start setting up at 7am and have to be ready by 8am. The conference starts with some good breakfast foods to hold us until the much looked forward to lunch from all local ingredients. We have food for both the Vegan and non-Vegan people.

Irene Mina-Plunkett runs the kitchen and always comes up with great food, with the help of family and friends. It's sometimes called the highlight of the event.

The speakers were on hand helping with set-up this afternoon and despite high wind warnings, Olinda was calm and sunny. The forecast calls for some strong winds and weather, but it just adds to the event and we are pretty protected from the winds by the giant trees on the windward side.

It's looking like a One Hundred plus turn out, with many Farmers and Leaders in the community. Even council people attending.

The information that should be provided by the speakers will be awesome! Based on just the tidbits shared last night at the Free South Maui Sustainability meeting where they spoke and took questions. They generated a lot of excitement.

People like Michael Martin Melendrez that has taken some of the worst possible soils in New Mexico and one eight of an inch of rainfall per year has managed to create a lush aboreteum in New Mexico that now supports one of the largest collections of Oak Trees in the World and many other plants including Bamboo.
He uses very little water despite the low rainfall to acheive this in an arid land through his knowledge of how to re-energize the soils.

Here are a few pics of what the day looked like without the crowd yet. I'm hoping to find some time to put some of the video up on the South Maui Sustainability Talk and look forward to having a complete Video and/or Audio package available to help Maui Aloha Aina Association, a 501c3 Organization, keep doing the work of educating the Farmer and those with the passion to learn more about our soils.