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Aloha!
Just as our global industrial economy has a profound (and destructive) relationship with the earth’s ecology, so too have we learned that the health of Hawai‘i’s agricultural economy depends directly on the health of our islands’ farmlands, ocean and water systems, and air quality, among other factors. What does this mean as we enter our fifth year of economic recession, while extreme weather events related to climate change and affecting Hawai‘i’s ecology are more evident? In other words, what shall we do?
While positive responses to these challenges are necessary at every level from individuals to national and international bodies, we at the Hawai’i Homegrown Food Network are dedicated to agricultural basics: growing a sustainable local food system from the family and community level. You could say, "building an ecological economy."
We are often asked, “How do I join the network?” We answer, “Do you eat food? – you’re already part of it.” If you also want to grow food and refine the fundamentals of planting, mulching, weeding and harvesting, our monthly newsletter and website of resources (http://hawaiihomegrown.net) are here to help you do that: classes, workshops, conferences, reports, announcements, farmers markets, websites, books, videos and more. Take a look.
Mahalo nui loa,
Craig Elevitch and Pedro Tama
for the Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network
http://hawaiihomegrown.net
visit us on Facebook
Events
Monday, September 03, 2012, 09:00am - 12:00pm, Hilo
Complete Natural Farming Class
Thursday, September 06, 2012, 09:00am, North Kona
West Hawai'i Master Gardener Monthly Meeting
Saturday, September 08, 2012, 02:00pm - 04:00pm, South Kona
Composting with Worms
Thursday - Sunday, Sept 13 - 16, 2012, Honolulu
Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers Hawaii International Conference
Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 06:00pm - 08:00pm, South Kona
Sugar Cane
Thursday, Sept 20 - Friday, Sept 21, 2012, Honolulu
2012 Hawaii Agriculture Conference Leveraging Partnerships for Profit
Saturday, September 22, 2012, 09:30am - 02:30pm, Puna
East Side Seed Exchange & Harvest Festival
Saturday, September 29, 2012, 09:00am - 03:00pm, South Kona
Breadfruit Festival goes bananas
Sunday, September 30, 2012, 02:00pm, Hilo
Edible Landscaping Beautification Day
Thursday, October 04, 2012, 09:00am, North Kona
West Hawai'i Master Gardener Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 09:00am - 12:00pm
Homestead Foods: Grow Your Own Mushrooms
Saturday, Oct 13, To Sunday, Dec 09, 2012, Puna
Permaculture Design Course
View events calendar
Reports
28 August 2012
Tane Datta
Co-owner, Adaptations, Kealakekua, South Kona
 Tane and Maureen Datta cut micro-greens at Adaptations. Their long experience growing and distributing organic produce gives them unique insight into Hawai'i Island markets.Tane Datta and his wife Maureen began homesteading as a move toward self-sufficiency in 1980 and expanded their gardens into a small farm enterprise over the next few years. Adaptation’s mission statement focuses on the need to engage in ecologically sound community and land development based on organic farming, alternative energy, and complimentary medicine. Datta has strengths in horticulture and has natural entrepreneurial instincts, while Maureen has strengths in building a business and has excellent people skills. Through the years one of the keys to success has been avoiding overextending their resources, including no significant debt. Instead, they built their business by reinvesting profits back into their company.
Read more...
Written by Sonia R. Martinez | 26 August 2012
 Mountain View Growers' strawberries.
Located in the Hawaiian Acres area of Puna mauka, Mountain View Growers is a 2-year-old enterprise that has already developed a large following. They have a regular clientele at natural food stores in Hilo and Pahoa, and at three different area farmers markets where they sell out early.
Jim Riley was living in Alaska and working in construction when he decided he wanted to live and farm in Hawai'i. To this end he started researching ways to grow strawberries that would be economically feasible and decided that growing them hydroponically in a "Verti-gro Pole System" (see http://vertigro.com) would be the best. The vertical towers yield a higher amount of berries in a smaller amount of space with the least amount of wasted effort and no 'intrusive visits' from slugs and snails.
Read more...
Written by Craig Elevitch | 28 August 2012
 Beyond growing food at home, you can support homegrown food by patronizing local vendors at farmer’s markets.
There are many options for supporting homegrown food in addition to growing your own food. Here is a summary of some of the best ways to eat locally and sustainably grown food.
Buy or trade for homegrown food from your neighbors. Neighborly exchange of food is an integral part of local culture in Hawai‘i, inspiring a sense of cohesive community.
Volunteer to help a neighbor with their garden. Sharing work with neighbors empowers them and thereby benefits the community as a whole.
Read more...
Announcements
 The Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers are pleased to present their 22nd Annual HTFG Hawai'i International Conference! This year it will be held in Honolulu at the University of Hawaii Campus Center on September 13-16. "Producing Quality Fruit for the Future of Hawaii" will be the theme for talks and panel discussions offered by tropical fruit experts from the Hawaii Dept of Agriculture, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). In addition, major speakers include international guests Dr. John Yoshimi Yonemoto from Japan and Dr. Roberto Coronel from the Philippines.
Have you heard that the Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas on Saturday, September 29?
Volunteers receive a free local foods lunch, a festival t-shirt featuring the beautiful artwork of Caren Loebel-Fried (while supplies last) and meaningful, fun, and engaging work--what more could you ask for?
We are looking for
- Volunteers to help harvest and process breadfruit primarily in Kona during August and September (starting August 15).
- Volunteers for 2-3-hour shifts at Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas on September 29--cooking contest and demonstration tent, buffet luncheon, parking, sales (cashier experience helpful), greeters, set up and clean up.
Full festival information is available at www.breadfruit.info. Please let us know your interest in volunteering by emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We need your help! On Sept 15th and 21st La'akea Community will be having Seed Exchange Preparation Mornings, from 9am - 1pm. Come in your yard-work clothes and help us prepare the site for this wonderful FREE family and community centered annual event. We really appreciate your time! Bring a sack lunch or something to share with others for the end of our working together, around 12:30. RSVP for directions: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This is the last week for early-bird registration for Designing For Sustainability and Food Security, the Fall 2012 Weekend Permaculture Design Course at La'akea. For complete details, Click Here.
Farmers' Markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Visit our comprehensive directory of Hawai'i Island farmers' markets and Community Supported Agricuture.
Web Resources
New web site listings
Other web resources
Supporting Organizations
Sponsors
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This newsletter is published by:
Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network
PO Box 5
Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 USA
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: http://hawaiihomegrown.net
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