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…
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…
The “Cool Factor” Bonds Youth and Farming
By Andrea Dean Dashiell Hammet was a famous detective novelist. Dashiell Kuhr, of North Kohala, is the energetic, articulate, handsome (dare I say dashing) driving force behind the Hawai‘i Youth Agriculture Program and the operations of Uluwehi Farm and Nursery,…
What’s in a Seed? Seed Is the Living Source of Life on Earth
By Nancy Redfeather How many times have you bought seed in a store, planted it, and were disappointed at its failure to germinate, or worse, thought of yourself as a “black thumb?” The answer to this common complaint is in…
Love of Orchids Forges Perennial Friendships
By Fern Gavelek Mention the word “orchids” and smiles light up their faces like girls gazing at a dollhouse. These eight Kona women, who eagerly banter over growing media and ant control, are enthusiastic charter members of the Kona Daifukuji…
The Galactic Interpretations of Jon Lomberg in Flowers and Other Media
By Marya Mann Not bigger, however, than galactic, multi-media artist Jon Lomberg can imagine. He has made his living conjuring the scope of the heavens for Earth-centric people like me, who realize the enormity of our galaxy—100,000 light-years across—and feel…
