Newsletter 34 - December 2011
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Aloha! This December’s newsletter finds us near the middle of the Makahiki season, approaching the Winter Solstice (which happens to occur here at 7:30 pm, December 21st), and closing out 2011. As the global, state and island economies continue to flounder, we gain a greater appreciation for our most basic human necessities, air, water and, yes, food. We take air and water for granted because there seems to be so much all around us. But we’ve become more acutely aware that our food supply is endangered. A natural or man-made disaster could leave us with only a couple weeks inventory of food in our grocery stores. The case for self-sufficiency has never been stronger—yet the movement for providing more local, and sustainably grown food to our populace is still tiny.
Here’s where you come in: read this month’s newletter reports about Hawai’i’s honeybees, breadfruit, a local natural food store, biocontrol, and then attend a workshop or festival from our calendar of local events; start a garden; buy at a farmers market; get to know your local farmers; or sell or give away your surplus garden or farm produce. Become part of the network. Enjoy eating locally & sustainably! Me ke aloha, Craig Elevitch and Pedro Tama EventsEvery Thursday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Puna Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 06:00pm - 08:00pm, Hamakua Saturday, December 03, 2011, 10:00am - 04:00pm, North Kona Saturday, December 03, 2011, 05:30pm - 08:00pm, South Kohala Saturday-Sunday, December 10-11, 2011, 09:00am - 08:00pm Saturday, December 10, 2011, 10:00am - 03:00pm, North Kohala Saturday, December 10, 2011, 10:00am - 03:00pm, Oahu Tuesday, December 13, 2011, 06:00pm - 08:00pm, Hilo Monday, December 19, 2011, 07:00pm - 09:00pm, North Kona Friday, December 30, 2011, 07:00pm - 09:00pm, North Kona Saturday & Sunday, January 21-22, 9:00am-3:00pm, North Kona Wednesday, February 01, To Wednesday, February 29, 2012, Puna Saturday, February 18, 2012, 10:00am - 04:00pm, North Kona Saturday, March 03, 2012, Puna View events calendarReportsIsland Naturals Market & Deli—an interview with owner Russell RudermanWritten by Sonia R. Martinez | 27 November 2011  With four organic food store locations around the island, Island Naturals owner Russell Ruderman says the stores support more local farmers and value-added food providers than any other store, supermarket or farmers market on Hawai’i Island.Each of the four stores has a unique character and some unique products. Each store buys from many local farmers, some of whom do not distribute island-wide. All stores have customers interested in special diets, (Gluten-Free, vegetarian, or dairy-free) to which the stores try to cater. In all stores, the Deli and in-store prepared foods are very popular. Each store also reflects the customer base in its particular area. Written by Julia Flynn Siler | 28 November 2011  When I arrived at an ethnobotanical garden near the town of Captain Cook, on the big island of Hawai’i, to attend an inaugural Breadfruit Festival in late September, I had my doubts about this nutrient-packed fruit that I’d never tried before.My skepticism was based on my preliminary reporting. Before my visit, I’d talked to one of the world’s leading experts, the Breadfruit Institute’s Director, Diane Ragone PhD., who had told me she hadn’t cared for it when she first tried it. I’d learned from the Breadfruit Institute’s own website about the difficulties faced by Captain Bligh in fulfilling his mission of introducing breadfruit plants to the Caribbean (during the infamous mutiny on the bounty, the mutineers tossed the trees overboard). I’d even found a discussion on the gardening website GardenWeb under lists of the “five WORST tropical fruits,” with one writer pronouncing breadfruit “nauseous.” Written by Andrea Dean | 26 November 2011
Written by Scot C. Nelson | 28 November 2011 
Kawa ('awa in Hawaiian) is a traditional ceremonial beverage in many parts of the Pacific, with commercial potential.
A traditional beverage made from the roots and stump of the kava plant is the most important kava product. This medicinal, psychoactive, and ceremonial drink is an aqueous suspension of phytochemicals called kavalactones and other components. Aerial portions of the plant should never be used in beverage preparations; consumption of photosynthetic tissues may pose a human health hazard. Written by Ken Love | 26 November 2011 Letter to Hawai’i Homegrown Food Network I was dismayed to read the article “Understanding Biological Control” in the Oct. 26th issue of the Big Island Weekly. It mentioned that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) entomologists have studied this control method for over 15 years and that they “know with certainty that it will slow the growth and spread of strawberry guava and that it will not feed on similar species such as ohia and guava.” Guava belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which includes the genera Psidium, Myrciaria, Syzygium, and Eugenia. You might know them better as jaboticaba, mountain apple, wax jambu, water apple, rose apple, surinam cherry, grumichama (Brazil cherry) and a host of other edible fruit of great economic benefit to growers across our island and state. Written by Dana Shapiro | 04 November 2011  In its pure form, beekeeping is a joyful activity that can be peaceful and rewarding for beekeepers. Unfortunately, it is not quite as simple as it used to be because of the confluence of diseases now threatening bee populations worldwide.Hawai‘i's geographic remoteness kept it isolated from the spread of new diseases for a long time. But in just the past few years, several new pathogens have arrived, with serious consequences for bees and beekeepers around the State. The three main pests affecting Hawai‘i Island include: 1) Varroa mite, 2) Small Hive Beetle, and 3) Nosema cerenae, a parasitic fungus. These pathogens are not related by cause and effect, but their impact does seem to 'pile up' — such that their combined effect is more serious (and complicated) than each one individually. AnnouncementsThe Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network and Feed Hawai'i will sponsor a 2-day hands-on workshop on live-culture (fermented) foods. For details and registration, click here. Early registration ends December 31st. Eastside Hawai'i 'Ulu (Breadfruit) Festival AnnouncedThe Eastside Hawai'i 'Ulu (Breadfruit) Festival will be held at Kua O Ka La charter school on Saturday March 3. For more information, see 'Ulu Festival.Kua O Ka La Public Charter School is currently looking for mature breadfruit. The breadfruit will be lightly processed and frozen for use at the festival the Breadfruit Festival to be held there March 2-3, 2012. If you are willing to share your bountiful 'ulu harvest for this purpose, please contact Mariposa at 938-7903. Other announcementsFarmers' Markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)Please visit our comprehensive page dedicated to Hawai'i Island farmers' markets and Community Supported Agricuture.
Web ResourcesNew web site listings
Other web resourcesSupporting OrganizationsSponsorsHawai'i People's Fund and the Hawai'i Community Foundation
  Hawai'i County Resource Center, a program of the County of Hawai'i Department of Research and Development.    Hawaii Agricultural Development Program in partnership with the Big Island RC&D Council.
 Agroforestry Net  New subscribers: Subscriptions to this newsletter are free and welcome from the general public. You can unsubscribe at any time. We will not share your name with anyone without your prior permission. Click here to subscribe This newsletter is published by:Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network
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In October, I was fortunate to attend Bioneers, a conference in San Rafael, California. The word "conference" is an understatement; I am not sure exactly how to describe the gathering of over 10,000 people. The many speakers—from Amory Lovins to Gloria Steinem to Paul Stamets—were top quality. The topics were fascinating: indigenous activism, food sovereignty, energy transformation. The mix was eclectic, including music, speakers, performance, and, active participation. I found that I was moved in both my mind and my heart. Thoughts about how to bring ideas home had my neurons firing on all cylinders.