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Newsletter 60 - February 2014

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For nearly five years we at the Hawai’i Homegrown Food Network have written about, photographed, given workshops on, sponsored festivals about, and generally promoted and advocated the growing, selling, buying and eating of local, sustainably grown food.

In presenting “sustainable farming” to our readers and viewers, we’ve featured organic farmers, biodynamic gardens, permaculture trainings, and when appropriate, traditional Hawaiian agriculture and the value of integrating ancient Polynesian farming methods with contemporary, scientific sustainable agriculture.

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Stop Imported Bananas to Hawai'i: Comments due March 31st

Ken Love of the Hawai'i Tropical Fruit Growers Association writes:  "Once again the federal government is trying to do it to us!
"The importation of bananas from the Philippines directly into Hawaii can seriously jeopardize numerous growers and certainly prevent growth of the banana industry in Hawai'i. Regardless of possible bacteria and other pests, the importation continues to build on the destruction of small family farms selling bananas throughout the state. Its bad enough  we have to import tons and tons of bananas from Ecuador but adding these would ruin almost all chances for building a viable banana industry in Hawai'i. The state should be charging a hefty inspection fee on the imports  we already have in order to prevent possible contaminations. I urge you to comment on this and make vocal your objections to this proposed rule."
For links to the primary documents supporting the proposed rule, and for space to make comments, see
 
 

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Sarah Ili: Hot Chili Pepper Water

SarahIliSarah Ili with Hawaiian chili pepper water, seedlings and peppers.Hawai’i Homegrown Food Network (HHFN) correspondent, Rachel Laderman, met with Sarah Ili and talked with her about the chili pepper water she makes. There are many variations of this popular Hawaiian condiment. Sarah’s version is very straightforward – and very delicious. Sarah lives in Pepe’ekeo and works as a substitute teacher, then shares her all-local Hawaiian chili pepper water with family and friends.

HHFN: What goes into your hot chili pepper water?
Sarah: You use Hawaiian hot chili peppers (has to be that kind), limu kohu, and Hawaiian sea salt with red clay, which is called alaea.

HHFN: Does it have health benefits?
Sarah: Yes, it is good for iron, and the limu kohu has iodine. The alaea is good for strengthening and cleansing. It also replenishes your salt.

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Locally Processed Foods by Honolulu Gourmet Foods

CI0A9579Honolulu Gourmet Foods restaurant at Paradise Palms Café on the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa campus serves locally grown prepared food at reasonable prices.Balancing being a mom and business entrepreneur, Jill Lee built Honolulu Gourmet Foods upon the counter-mainstream model of sourcing locally grown ingredients and making her products exclusively in Hawai‘i. “The cost of doing business is high in Hawai‘i. At the end of the day, am I proud of my products and our steady customer base confirms that there is a market for high quality, Hawai‘i-made products,” explains Lee.

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Intelligence, Culture, Food

galimba-intelliGrazin’ at Kuahiwi Ranch

To be honest, I’m not so interested in food – as a commodity or a resource or even as a way to feed those who are hungry. What I mean is, I’m not so interested in the numbers – numbers of calories, pounds of product consumed, percentage of locally produced products, and so on. All of those are necessary and useful numbers. I have to pay attention to numbers because I have to produce so many pounds of beef each week in order to meet my customer’s needs consistently, or my business fails. So, I’m not saying that numbers are unimportant. Far from it. But the numbers are not what interest me, what keep me going day after day.

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Hyperlocal frozen dessert by OnoPops

Ono PopsOnoPops produces a variety of flavors depending on local ingredient availabilty.

In 2010 brothers Josh Lanthier-Welch and Joe Welch established OnoPops, whose flagship product line consists of ice pops made from local and organic ingredients. Profoundly inspired by the patela tradition of ice and milk-based frozen pops in Latin America, the brothers based their product line on a marriage of the Mexican patela and Hawaiian regional cuisine. The result is an endless range of creative flavor combinations that changes continually based on which ingredients are available from local sources.

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