Bring farm to school education to your students with Ho‘opili ‘Ai!
Purchase or request a sponsored Farm to School Sampler Box:
Includes 25 take-home bags
Bulk volumes provide 200 tastings
Farm to school connects keiki and ‘ōpio (children and youth) with their food and with the ‘āina, which feeds and nourishes us all – fostering the next generation of healthy, caring stewards.
The Hoʻopili ʻAi Program – Uniting Keiki & Hawaiʻi Food Crops is a partnership with Hawaiʻi Farm to School (a program of Hawai‘i Public Health Institute), Chef Hui, and University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources that provides students, teachers, school staff and parents with the resources needed to build lifelong relationships with Hawaiʻi-grown staple foods!
Hoʻopili ‘Ai 2022-2025 Impact Report
Read our Hoʻopili ‘Ai 2022-2025 Impact Report to learn about the impact of this program over the past three years. Hoʻopili ʻAi was created to provide free educational resources and locally-grown staple foods to Hawaiʻi schools, fostering lifelong relationships between our keiki and kūpuna crops. Since 2022, the program has served approximately 49,500 students across Hawaiʻi, distributing over 18,500 pounds of local food and investing more than $123,800 in the local agricultural economy. Teacher and family feedback highlights the positive impact of the program through hands-on learning, connecting with Hawaiian history and family traditions, and encouraging students to try new, healthy, local foods.
Harvest of the Month
Harvest of the Month is a toolkit that includes lessons, resources and recipes to increase local food in student meals as well as connecting our keiki (children) with the ‘āina (land) through their food, using products from the local agricultural community.
Experiential education is the key to increased fruit and vegetable consumption among students. We thank you for your interest in this initiative.
Who can champion a Harvest of the Month Event?
Principals, Parents, Teachers, Counselors, PTA/PTSA Members, Volunteers and Students!
Bring local food education to your school community by hosting a successful Harvest of the Month event following six simple steps! Use our guide to host a successful HOM event at your school!
Download our guide on how to host a Hoʻopili ʻAi Harvest of the Month event!
How to organize a Harvest of the Month Event:
1. Assemble an Event Team
2. Decide on the Event Scope
3. Communicate with participating teachers
4. Purchase and prepare materials
5. Hold your event!
6. After the event
Hoʻopili ʻAi Lesson Plan
Effortlessly weave Farm to School into your curriculum with our free & ready-to-use resources: Educational Videos, Student Taste-test Surveys, Standards-aligned Discussion Questions for grades K-5, Coloring Pages and more!
Learn: E Hoʻokamaʻāina I Ke Kalo – Get to Know Kalo!
Follow kalo in its journey from farmers’ loʻi and mālaʻai across Hawaiʻi Island to the market where it is sold to a food hub and farmer cooperative before ending in a chef’s kitchen in delicious kalo cheeseburgers!
“Great mini lesson. The children were all willing to be risk takers and take a bite. Majority of them loved it!” – Waikiki Elementary Teacher
Learn: E Hoʻokamaʻāina I Ka ʻUala – Get to Know ʻUala!
Follow ʻuala in its journey from Kohala’s traditional dryland field system to the market where a food hub and farmer’s cooperative processes it, and then to a chef’s kitchen where we learn how to make sweet and savory ʻuala mochi!
“The tasting was simple and great. The video was very kid friendly. Kids really enjoyed the coloring page.” – Waikiki Elementary Teacher
Learn: E Hoʻokamaʻāina I Ka Palaʻai – Get to Know Palaʻai!
Follow palaʻai in its journey from a Hawaiʻi Island farmer’s compost pile to the market where a food hub and farmer’s cooperative processes it to finally be used in a chef’s kitchen for Palaʻai and Bacon Mac n Cheese! Find the full recipe here.
Learn: Moʻolelo – The Gift of Kū (ʻUlu Lesson Plan)
Learn more about the cultural legacy of ʻulu in Hawaiʻi through this important moʻolelo, “The Gift of Kū” as retold by Caren Loebel-Fried and narrated by Anna Ezzy.
