Getting to know the environment where you live is the best way to begin the process of growing food. Knowing about your soil, rainfall, elevation, wind direction, and other environmental conditions will help determine what to plant and what might need to be done to improve conditions for plants and animals.

Soil

Soils vary tremendously across the island, from sandy clays to coarse soil in lava rock. A soil test can help determine the nutrients available in your soil. The USDA also has detailed soils maps that can help determine your soil type.

An Open Letter to the Farmers Market Community

At farmers markets all over the state I see pricing structures on locally grown fruit and veggies that just don't compute.

When I started a small farmers market adjacent to the Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative on Napoopoo Road in the mid-1990s, avocados were $1.00 each and bananas were 5 for $1.00, as that was roughly what the prices were in grocery stores. Back then my Kaiser insurance was $680/month and gas $2.23/gal or so. My insurance is now $1300/month and you know what gas has gone up to. I'm sure you all have stories like this.

Prices at grocers for avocados have gone from $1.99 to $3.99 at KTA for imported avocados, and at some stores from $0.69-$2.45/lb for local avocados. Why haven’t farmers market prices gone up too?

Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in South Kona has a small collection of Hawaiian banana varieties that require regular tender-loving care. We are looking for volunteers to care for the bananas to keep them vibrant, healthy, and tidy, especially for the next Breadfruit Festival on September 29, 2012, which will feature bananas. Guidance will be given in how to care for bananas. If you would like to become a volunteer caretaker, please call the Garden Director Peter van Dyke at 323-3318.

Part 1 of a 2-part series

Introduction

The forest-gardening approach to fertility emphasizes strategies employed in the design phase that should reduce the need for work and expensive inputs later on down the line. Many basic characteristics of forest gardens support self-renewing fertility by their very nature: perennial plant roots provide consistent root-zone resources to the soil food web; lack of tilling allows undisturbed development of the soil organism community; consistent mulch provides stable food resources for the decomposers and a stable soil environment for everyone who lives down there; and so on.

With our mild tropical climate in Hawai‘i, we are very fortunate to be able to grow most food plants from both temperate and tropical climates. Temperate food plants include many table vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, tomato, cucumber, corn, squash, spinach, sunflower, radish, peas, and beans. These plants have relatively short life cycles, usually 2–9 months. These short-lived plants are adapted to completing their life cycle during the few months of spring, summer, and fall.

Aloha! This issue marks the beginning of our 4th year of publication. Our lofty original goals included: The Hawai‘i Homegrown Food Network will support a vibrant and sustainable local food system by accelerating the exchange of knowledge between stakeholders, connecting all strata of the agricultural economy, and raising awareness in the general public and media. Continue Reading Print Email More Articles ... New Maku'u Backyard Growers Co-op in Puna Sam Choy’s 2012 Keauhou Poke Contest Puna 'Ulu Festival Attracts over 1,000 People Holuakoa Gardens seeks citrus Why grow food at home? Newsletter 37 - March 2012 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 BREADFRUIT TALKING STORY RESOURCES Farmers Markets/CSA's Websites Books & Magazines Featured Organizations Videos & DVDs ABOUT Vision, Mission and Values Supporting Organizations Board and Advisors Sponsors History Project Team FAQ Farmer's Markets Legal & Press Info Privacy Policy Conditions of Use Sponsors Press Info Contact Contact Us Volunteer HOME