Cultivating a Culture of Wellness

The Healthy Roots community gardening program started in 2017 with a handful of families who wanted to experiment with growing tropical vegetables typically only available in the Pacific islands. To date,  over 370 community members in over 120 households and community groups  have participated and we've successfully grown foods like taro (talo, kalo), sweet potato (kumala, 'umala, 'uala), Pacific spinach (pele, laupele), turmeric (olena, ago), sugarcane (tolo, to, ko), and island plants like ornamental banana (fa'i, mai'a) and ti leaf (lausi, lauti).  We also help schools and families grow all kinds of "traditional Utah" garden foods like corn, tomatoes, squash, cabbage, etc. 

Besides the practical benefits of promoting healthier eating habits, Healthy Roots provides participants with meaningful educational engagement that incorporates Pacific Islander histories, cultures, languages, and indigenous science through intergenerational learning experiences. 

All tools, materials, seedlings, and educational instruction are provided free of charge to community members, as well as in-home consultations and onsite growing and cooking workshops for families and school classes.  You don't need a big yard or lots of open space to grow fresh, healthy food, we can even help you grow food indoors, on your porch, a windowsill, or a patio. 

There are still a few opening for the 2026 growing season, if you're interested in growing fresh, healthy food for your family and neighbors, contact Soa Mulitalo (soamulitalo@gmail.com) or Jake Fitisemanu (jjfitisemanu@gmail.com).