Green Collar Jobs Training Program Update (6/25/09)

After taking a short lunch break, the offline sustainability group moved to another greenhouse to plant kalo. There the workers tilled the soil and fertilizer mix manually and planted kalo corms into the newly turned ground. When that was done they covered the plant crop with mulch to increase the kalo's chance for successful growth. Trainees also took the time to inspect the kalo that has been previously planted.

The look Green Collar Job Training Program workers will give you
if you talk about not being sustainable!

Trainees manually tilling the soil with pitch forks.

Workers (from left) Riana, Dylan, Dominic, and Leroy spreading mulch.

As if they hadn't done a lot of work that day, the labor group also made a trip to Mountain View to pot more kalo at the Green Collar Technologies property. It was a day full of work and lots of achievements in the world of green collar jobs and sustainability practices and opportunities.

Leroy potting kalo in Mountain View.

Green Collar Jobs Training Program Update (6/25/09)

Today the online crew continued to refine their skills on the Internet, and trainees continued to write blog posts, update twitter, upload images and edit videos taken of the offline sustainability group. Meanwhile, the labor crew went to Moku's Farm in Aloha Estate to plant basil and kalo in the greenhouses. There were approximately six greenhouse at Moku's farm.

Workers spread fertilizer mix onto the soil before Moku used the tilling machine.

Workers spread a fertilizer mixture of 103010 and chicken manure, and Moku informed workers on how to use a tilling machine to mix the fertilizer into the soil. Unfortunately, it is against Hawai‘i Workforce Development policy for trainees to operate machinery on the worksite, so they just had to settle for a visual demonstration.

Moku showing trainee's how far apart basil plants should be planted.

After tilling the soil workers started planting the basil into neatly spaced and organized rows. Moku showed workers how he wanted the basil to be planted (picture above). In time, the rows off basil will turn into the lawns seen in the top left corner of the picture seen below.

Trainees planting basil in neatly organized rows.