It is a literal taste, because the field day ended with strawberries from Kula Country Farms along with samplings of lavender cookies and freshly picked corn.

The next event will be a mini agricultural fair and farming demonstration Wednesday at Maui Mall.

The ag fair will piggyback with the regular farmers market from 7 a.m., showcasing Grown on Maui and Made-in-Maui value-added ag products.

The demonstrations and exhibits will operate from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Warren Watanabe, president of the Maui County Farm Bureau, said plans are for a 10-month Agriculture in the Classroom program to start in the next school year. This will culminate in a grander Agriculture Week in 2007.

Charlene Kauhane, spokeswoman for Ag Week, said the bureau decided on the program because agriculture is the second-biggest business in the county, after tourism, but there is a “disconnection.”

“We actually grow food on Maui, and it ends up in stores,” said Kauhane, but the fact is not widely recognized.

The Grown on Maui program is intended to help consumers distinguish between locally grown produce and imported foods.

Flowers, too.

The thrust of Ag Week is multifaceted.

It is aimed at educating consumers about what local food is available. In the lower grades, the curriculum being developed is intended to explain basic facts about how plants work or about nutrition.

“We want to help teachers,” said Kauhane.

In the higher grades, another goal is to alert young people to the variety of careers available in agriculture.

“There are high-paying jobs,” said Kauhane.

The Kahului School group was shown around a produce farm by Natividad Tumbaga. They also got a lesson in planting and growing lavender from Ali'i Kula Lavender and a lesson on phases of growth in corn from staff with Monsanto Hawaii. Maui Electric Co. talked about the importance of fruits and vegetables in good nutrition, and then served strawberries.