It has been a long time since I’ve done a proper updating on this website. First off, lots of changes in my life. One constant has been a dedication to the plant exchange, which has changed locations but not frequency. We still do a monthly event here in Hawaii Kai.
Other constants are a dedicated and loyal base of plant exchange volunteers. Over the years, some have been able to commit more time while others have had to scale back. It’s all part of a normal cycle: a life balance we have to work out at an individual level. To have participants return time and time again has been a blessing.
I have to give a shout-out to some of the key individuals that have made these plant exchanges possible. Santa G, his wife L and friend S, who have organized our seed collection and maybe most importantly, provided us with countless seedlings of numerous varieties. Their contributions have been phenomenal.
Then, there’s Dr. B whose enthusiasm and professional plant knowledge drove this exchange from the start. She has only been able to attend sporadically since our change of dates to Saturday and I miss her so, as do many of the regulars. Fortunately for the exchange, Jan and Terence, who are part of 808 ladybugs, came to join us and pick up much of the hard-to-fill expertise, enthusiasm and of course, plant donations.
Then there’s Ray who is the consummate volunteer, helping to unload and pack through the hardest part of the plant exchange: setup and takedown. Mahalo, Ray!! The same can be said for my childhood friend, Nelle. The plant swap helped us reconnect after many years of distant friendship and busy schedules.
I know this isn’t a full list everyone who solidly volunteers and donates. I can probably name more, Laurie, Pauline, and the list goes on and on. That’s what makes this event so special and unique: the level of interest and participation.
When I first started this website way back in the 2010s, it was with the idea that I’d journal useful pieces of my life to share. At the time, my focus was on public education. As it would turn out, I’d want a really close look at Hawaii’s public education system. I ended up taking a state-level role with the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE). At that point, I generally stopped blogging about HIDOE.
When the pandemic hit, I was still working at HIDOE. We were all sent home to “work.” As it would turn out, the work I did ground to a halt due to COVID, so there really wasn’t much to do. I ended up taking on a personal interest project: seeing if it was possible to be fully self-sustaining.
I wasn’t the only person asking this question. During the pandemic, some of the only venues allowed to operate were farmers’ markets; the plant swap at Kaiser High School, which had been running on a much smaller scale for years prior, took off. The first week we were able to resume, I was the only one showing up, wearing a mask and distributing planting seeds. It wasn’t very busy. As the population became accustomed to the idea of going back out, the crowds grew and grew. The volunteers returned and we’ve never looked back. These plant exchanges continue to bring large crowds over a relatively short period of time.
Many friendships were started and a healthy routine became part of the plant swap. In 2024, we changed venues due to a new PTSA board at Kaiser HS. We are now at Koko Marina waterfront in front of Assagio on Third Saturdays between 10-1pm. That transition was hard, but thanks to the local connection of Albert Fung of Oahu Plant Swap and Lauren Mori of 808 Craft and Gift Fairs, we were able to find a new venue right away. Slowly word spread about the change and we were also blessed with new attendees.
We moved to the new Koko Marina venue in June 2024. Earlier that same month I also made a big personal move. I changed jobs, industry and career. Needless to say, it was a crazy few days. The new plant exchange took place just four days after the Kaiser one was canceled.
Fast forward to now, the last six months have gone by in a flash. Many of my past interests have been pushed to the side as I navigate new challenges.
If there is one common thread throughout these adventures, it is this: a lifetime of learning. Regardless of where the road goes, will you come along for the journey? In the near future, I’ll be writing more about quantity cooking and resuming my Japanese language study as well as attempting to unpack the whirlwind which has been the 2020s.