Hands On History Program in February

Photo courtesy of Kona Historical Society.

The Kona Historical Society will be hosting “Hands On History” at the Kona Coffee Living History Farm in Captain Cook every Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m. in February.

This program allows visitors and community members to learn and experience activities that were central to daily life for Kona’s Japanese immigrants and coffee pioneers in the 1920s and 1940s.

Activities include coffee roasting, medicinal herb gardening, Japanese calligraphy, Japanese pickling, lauhala weaving, mochi making, and tofu making.  

The program schedule for February is as follows:

• Wednesday, Feb. 8 – Balanced Bento: Pickling as a Mainstay of the Japanese Table
• Friday, Feb. 10 – Art & Language: Learning Japanese with Calligraphy
• Wednesday, Feb. 15 – Backyard Groceries: Sustainability in the Kitchen Garden
• Friday, Feb. 17 – Beans in the Skillet: Coffee Roasting at Home
• Wednesday, Feb. 22 – Fresh Off the Press: Making Tofu in the Family Kitchen
• Friday, Feb. 24 – Weaving Tools & Treasures: Lauhala on a Kona Coffee Farm

The program is intended to continue cultural traditions behind the activities while preserving the history of Kona’s coffee industry and its pioneers.

“Hands On History provides a unique opportunity for visitors and residents alike to learn and practice traditional activities that were important to the daily lives of our Kona ancestors,” said Gavin Miculka, Kona Historical Society assistant program director and Kona Coffee Living History Farm museum manager.

Photo courtesy of Kona Historical Society.

Kona Coffee Living History Farm is a 5.5-acre property filled with coffee and macadamia nut orchards that tells the story of Kona coffee pioneers through tours and interpreters. Participation in Hands On History is included in the price of admission to the farm.

The farm is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. For more information, call Kona Historical Society at (808) 323-3222 or visit www.konahistorical.org.