Ka'u Report

Mele Akau and helper Marilu are all smiles on market day.

If you happen to be in Na'alehu on a Wednesday or Saturday morning, a stop at the Ka'u Farmers' Market is a must. The small community market is run by the non-profit organization Ka'u Mainstreet, and has been going strong for 8 years. "It all began on the first Saturday in December, 2001, when the Main Street Board met with four local farmers and arranged to set up stalls in Wai'ohinu park," said Ka'u Mainstreet president Marge Elwell.

Because of its many uses and services, moringa is known as a "miracle tree" around the world.

Almost all parts of the moringa tree are used for food, oil, fiber, and/or medicine. In the Pacific, the most important products are pods and leaves. Young pods are consumed as a vegetable. Very young pods are fiberless, and can be cooked like string beans. Because the weight is low on very young pods, most commercial production involves larger, more fibrous pods that are used in soups, stews, and curries. The nutritious leaves are eaten in many dishes including soups, stews, and stir fries. Sauteed young leaves and flowers are also eaten. The demand for home consumption of pods and leaves can generally be met by one or two backyard trees.

A breadfruit tree can produce 160–500 kg (350–1100 lb) of fruit per year with very little effort on the part of the grower.

Breadfruit produces abundant, nutritious fruit (i.e., high in carbohydrates and a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals) that is typically cooked and consumed as a starchy staple when firm and mature. Ripe fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, processed into chips and other snacks, dried into flour or starch, and minimally processed or frozen. Breadfruit flour can be partially substituted for wheat flour in many bread, pastry, and snack products. Seeds, cooked in the fruit and eaten throughout the Pacific islands—but rarely in Polynesia—are high in protein, relatively low in fat and a good source of vitamins and minerals. Breadnut seeds tend to be larger and sweeter than breadfruit seeds and can be roasted or boiled. In Ghana, breadfruit and breadnut seeds have been made into nutritious baby food. In the Philippines, immature fruit is sliced, cooked, and eaten as a vegetable.

Coconut is one of the most useful tropical plants, both for subsistence and economic uses.

Except for the fairly recent commercialisation of coconut water from immature fruit, the principal products of the coconut palm come from the whole mature fruit: the husk fibre for ropes and mats (geotextiles, woven from coconut fibre, are used to stabilise fragile soils); the shell for charcoal (excellent for activation); and the kernel for oil (emulsified as cream or milk). Desiccated coconut was developed in the late 19th century (after 1895) and husk cortex (cocopeat) in the mid 20th century (after 1949). Copra (dried kernel) was the major item on international markets for much of the 20th century, as a source of oil for food preparation, candle, and soap making and glycerine for high explosives. Traditional uses include toddy (sap, from which sugar is crystalised by boiling or alcohol or vinegar are fermented); leaves woven for baskets and for shelter (atap), or for hats and party skirts; frond stems and dry bunch stalks for fuel; shell for cups, curios, and buttons; and structural and ornamental timber from the trunk. Two uses that may have future commercial prospects are coconut oil as a supplement or replacement for petroleum-based fuels, and heart of palm.

Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network

Food is a crucial issue for community health and welfare, especially in Hawai'i. Recognizing Hawai'i needs a vibrant, new food paradigm, the grantee engages in outreach to gardeners, farmers, students, teachers, retailers, distributors, suppliers, policymakers, reporters, food banks, farmers' markets, processing facilities, consumers -- and the grassroots organizations, non-governmental groups, and government agencies that support them.

Building Local, Sustainable Food Communities

If you haven't yet connected with this organization, go to this link and read their latest newsletter!

Packed FULL of great information for farmers and consumers alike, this issue features terrific workshops and events, the most comprehensive list of agriculture-specific events available. The newsletter also features reports, this month one on saving Hawaii's wild honey bees.