Testimony in Support of Funding HFUU's FAM Program

Aloha,
My name is Joshua Kalkstein and my wife and I are small farmers on Maui. We have a value-added food company and we are committed to food sustainability on Maui.
I cannot speak highly enough about HFUU's FAM program, of which I am a part this year. I have gained an immense amount of knowledge and made connections that would have otherwise been impossible for me to make. Our company will benefit greatly and we are now much better equipped to provide the people of Maui with locally-grown food and locally-made food products.
I highly recommend continued funding of the program.
Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.
Thank you very much,
-JOSH.

Joshua Kalkstein
www.StaceysGarden.com
(808)286-2330

Testimony in support of HCUU’s FAM

Aloha,

This testimony is in support of the FAM program.

My name is Justin De Leon. Along with my wife and children, we are first time farmers with zero farming experience. I’m currently in cohort 7 at this years FAM program. I have so much to share and don’t know where to start!

We are half way through the course and my brain is full of new ideas. Each week I look forward to learning the new techniques and applying them to the farm. I have made new friend in all my classmates. I have learned just as much from them. They all bring different styles of what they all plan on doing. They’re all ohana now!

The FAM program has help support me through my agricultural endeavors and education. I have a full time job, raise 4 beautiful children, and now a so called “farmer”. The program is easy for a person like me to acquire this kind of education and information with out the stress of failure. Every week what I learn I apply it that next day at our farm. It’s fun, it’s therapy, and it’s now a passion of mines. Did I mention it was a free course? I don’t have much money to send my self to school. So these programs help people like me. I hope in the future more people will get the opportunity just like I did. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I can’t thank you all enough.

My ohana farm is ready! We’ve almost made a a full year up there. I can’t wait to share what I have learned and while also giving back to my community that raised me. This program instilled in me to be now a steward of this land that we call our home.

I hope this letter does well in support of these kinds of programs.

Mahalo for taking time to listen to me.

Many thanks,
Justin De Leon
HCUU FAM program cohort7 participant.

Wailuku/Kahului is the most densely populated area on the island, yet it has NO deadicated pickleball courts. We would like to see a 10 court "Open air" dedicated pickleball facility with a roof covering constructed at one of the Wailuku parks, maybe Maui Lani Reg. Park or War Memorial (similar to the one located in Haiku).

Could permanent pickleball lines be painted on all four of the courts; and pickleball nets be installed on half (two) of the tennis courts in Kula, and on all courts at the facility in Haiku.

Central Maui- In the interum while we are wait for the new 10 court facility to be constructed, install permanent pickleball nets and lines on the three upper courts at War Memorial, and two of the tennis courts at Wells Park?

Mahalo, Maryanne Monias