The Plight of the Honeybee: Big Island Honeybees are Vital to Keeping Us Fed, Our Skin Soft and Even Healing Cuts on Fish Fins
By Denise Laitinen Raw honey may look like liquid gold, but it is the bees themselves that are worth their weight in gold. “Albert Einstein once said that without honeybees the human race as we know would end in seven…
Money Does Grow on Trees: Puna Programs Help Backyard Farmers Sell Excess Produce
By Denise Laitinen When I was a kid my dad would say, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” Well, it turns out Dad was wrong. Thanks to the efforts of two separate food co-op programs in Puna, people are tapping into…
Growing a Flavorful Agribusiness: Vanilla
By Denise Laitinen When Jim and Tracy Reddekopp purchased their property in Pa‘auilo back in 1998, they weren’t sure what they were going to build or grow. The two O‘ahu natives just knew that they wanted to get away from…
Joy of Chickens: Big Islanders Are Discovering a New Use for Their Back Yards
By Alan D. McNarie I think a lot of people don’t think that chickens have brains,” muses Jeannette Baysa, co-owner of the Hilo Coffee Mill. “But I think they do. We train them. They know their names. They come when…
Beyond Organic: Natural Farming
By Noel Morata A new trend—natural farming—is being embraced by backyard gardeners and farmers here on Hawai‘i Island. These methods have been shown to enhance growing organically, focusing on long-term sustainability and using local, raw products and indigenous, green materials…
Have You Ever Known a WWOOFer? They’re Helping Farmers All Over the Big Island!
By Hadley Catalano Dana Ronnquist had always been interested in permaculture and organic farming. Growing up in Westchester County, New York, an hour outside the city, the 24-year-old hadn’t had the opportunity to get hands-on experience in what she felt…
Flower Power: Outdoor Circles Make a Beautiful Difference
By Ann C. Peterson If you’ve noted that Hawaii’s beautiful scenery isn’t marred by a cacophony of huge billboards, you can thank The Outdoor Circle. “Clean, Green, and Beautiful” —that simple mission forged almost 100 years ago—has helped preserve and…
