Show Your Garden Some Love Every Day :)
We use gardening as a vehicle for encouraging children to make healthy food choices, building a love for nature, and stimulating social interaction & cooperation. This past week on top of harvesting carrots the children planted a dozen papaya trees and a mango tree.
Ae'o Bird (Hawaiian Stilt)...An Endgangered Bird Of Endangered Wetlands
We heard a strange bird call early in the morning at Ka Hana Pono one day...sort of a loud "keeeeek" :) Uncle Bison grabbed the camera and took a few photos. We later looked up the bird online and were able to share this information with the kids.
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The Ae'o Bird thrives in what is now an endangered habitat. Ancient Hawaiians grew taro in water and farmed saltwater fish in man-made ponds ringed with lava rock. Both of these activities created ample habitat for a group of native wetland birds. Because shoreline land is much more valuable today for resort development, these habitats are now preserved only in a few refuges and farms.
The Hawaiian Stilt is probably the most noticeable becuse of its loud cry given in flight and on the ground. We learned that the mature birds use tricks such as a "broken wing act" to lure intruders away from the nest area. Keep in mind that these birds may be abundant in specific areas (like near taro farms) but that the total population of these birds is small, estimated around 1500.
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The Ae'o Bird thrives in what is now an endangered habitat. Ancient Hawaiians grew taro in water and farmed saltwater fish in man-made ponds ringed with lava rock. Both of these activities created ample habitat for a group of native wetland birds. Because shoreline land is much more valuable today for resort development, these habitats are now preserved only in a few refuges and farms.
The Hawaiian Stilt is probably the most noticeable becuse of its loud cry given in flight and on the ground. We learned that the mature birds use tricks such as a "broken wing act" to lure intruders away from the nest area. Keep in mind that these birds may be abundant in specific areas (like near taro farms) but that the total population of these birds is small, estimated around 1500.
Our Carrots Are Ready To Eat!!
• We were one of the earliest vegetables grown by man
• We’re related to parsley. Don’t you think that our feathery green tops look somewhat like parsley?
• In the past our leaves were used to decorate the hats of royalty
• Doctors say that we improve vision, especially at night because of our very high level of vitamin A (carotene).
• With many vegetables cooking destroys some of their vitamins, but you can absorb more beta carotene from cooked carrots than from raw ones. If you prefer to eat us raw, that’s fine because even one of us has two day’s supply of beta carotene. Baby carrots have even higher levels.
• We’re sweetly delicious whether we’re old or young because we have some natural sugars, but younger carrots have more folate, one of the B vitamins which may help prevent birth defects in babies.
• We’re a really good source of dietary fiber
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Firetruck Tour :)
We looked out the window and one of the kids saw a firetruck parking in the shade on the side of Ka Hana Pono Daycare. The keiki all got excited so we decided to walk over and get a closeup look and take some pictures. We were so lucky & surprised when firefighters Eric & Debbie came out and offered to give the children an in-depth, hands on tour of the firetruck! :)
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