Lydi Morgan Bernal will carry Ka Hana Pono’s garden program forward with weekly garden lessons for the children and regular opportunities for family involvement through Garden Party Workdays and workshops.
Garden lessons will focus on inspiring children to become reverent observers, caretakers, and co-creators with Nature. They will practice Garden Agreement and other protocols to help them be safe, kind, and respectful with plants, animals, people, and all beings!
Lessons will introduce students to basic botany including the fundamental concepts of life cycles and plant parts, and important gardening concepts such as composting and soil health, nature’s elements, garden creatures, moon phases, peace gardens, and the importance of trees. Children will plant and care for vegetables, fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, and traditional Hawaiian crops, and they will experience and celebrate the joy and bounty of our harvests!
Lydi was raised in Honolulu and graduated from Punahou School and Amherst College with a degree in Biology. Prior to her current role as Coordinator of the statewide Hawai‘i Farm to School and School Garden Hui, Lydi worked with the Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation (2006-2014) as a Garden Educator, then School Garden Coordinator where she collaborated on the creation of the ‘AINA In Schools K-6 garden and compost curriculum, trained volunteers, and worked with public and charter elementary schools on O‘ahu to create and sustain school gardens and farm to school programs. She is a certified O‘ahu Master Gardener and Permaculture Designer, a graduate of Hawai‘i’s Agricultural Leadership Program, and a member of the Hawai‘i School Peace Gardens committee. Lydi and her husband Raul own and operate The Garden Oven brick oven pizza business on the North Shore and their daughter Malu is a happy member of the Ka Hana Pono ‘ohana!!!
