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Community
1 CommentsDeer Damage Molokai Crops
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Drought is a farmer’s worst nightmare. But imagine the few plants that make it through the summer are then eaten by something other than your family or customers.
On top of a dry summer, the Molokai agriculture community is facing a deer problem – lack of water and food in their usual habitat has driven deer into the fields for nourishment at the farmer’s expense.
“The problem is there’s not a whole lot you can do about it,” said Rick Tamanaha, owner of Kaleikoa Farms in Ho`olehua. “They’ve actually stopped me from planting for 2010. They’ve shut me down.”
Tamanaha said he will be installing an electric fence to ward off the deer. This is one of many problems that come with farming that he prepares for.
“If it’s not deer it’s going to be something else,” he added. “You take the good years, and you [have] to take the bad years.”
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For hunting help, call Ron Rapanot at 567-6541.
Growing Dryland Taro Part I
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Community Contributed
By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH CTAHR Cooperative Extension Service
Molokai is blessed with many Hawaiian taro varieties, in part due to the vision of the late Martha and Cowboy Otsuka in seeking out and preserving these legacies. Also, under the direction of Alton Arakaki and Faith Tuipulotu in making huli available each year at the annual Molokai Taro Field Day.
With the advent of drip irrigation and water distribution systems, taro can be grown in areas where it could never grow before. In the past, dryland taro was only grown in the uplands in mulch where seasonal rains were sufficient to bring the taro to harvest.
Most varieties will mature between eight and 12 months, and keeping plants actively growing is the key. Taro loves water, and along with fertilizer, will flourish before your eyes. Dryland taro is distinguished from wetland taro in that the latter grows in water ponds or lo`i. Different varieties were selected for these two conditions. Taking a soil sample of your planting area is the first step in growing upland taro. Call our office at 567-6932 for more information on taking a soil sample.
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Now you’re ready to plant huli. It’s a good idea to surface sterilize huli to kill any nematodes on the remaining corm, and also insects in the stalks or ha. This is done by dipping it in a solution of one part Clorox and 10 parts water for a couple of minutes. Don’t need to rinse, just plant. It’s a good idea to sort the huli by size, planting the larger ones at the end of the row so these are harvested first, with the smaller ones planted near the water source. When using drip irrigation, tie up the drip line as you harvest and the rest of the row can still be irrigated. Some farmers make a hole with a digging stick; I use a pineapple planter. Dig a small hole about three to four feet deep, drop in the huli and cover so it stands on its own. You can plant two feet apart in lines or zigzags along the water line, or in a furrow or in beds two feet apart in all directions. Taro loves water, but water lightly when first planting until roots emerge. When healthy leaves unfurl, this is an indication that roots are emerging. Water can be increased and the surface kept moist since taro roots move laterally and stay close to the surface. There’s such a thing as too much water for dryland taro because they also require air near their roots to grow well. More next time…
In the Patch
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It was not your stereotypical autumn day with crisp weather and colorful leaves, but Molokai families still enjoyed the perks of fall with the island’s first-ever pumpkin patch last Saturday.
Hundreds of orange and white pumpkins of every size and shape lined the 4-acre parcel owned by Heart of Aloha church, which began growing pumpkins in June.
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Paddler’s Inn Cuts Back
While Paddler’s Inn has been facing some challenges lately, the staff hasn’t let that keep them down. In order to keep operating while they await a permanent liquor license, the restaurant has had to cut back on their hours.
“We want to say thank you to everyone who has been supporting us,” said bar manager Mike said. “We really do appreciate it, [cutting back] is just something we have to do to stay open.”
The restaurant is currently open for breakfast and lunch every day, and will only be open for dinner on Mondays and Thursdays.
Helm, kitchen manager Kamuela Purdy, and dining room manager Curtis Akiona said the restaurant will be open full force as soon as the permanent liquor license comes through.
People With a Plan
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The need to maintain the island’s unique cultural identity is as strong as the need for more jobs and a more diverse, stable economy in the eyes of Molokai residents.
“The time for change is now. One size does not fit all,” said Molokai’s county council representative, Danny Mateo.
Last Saturday, more than 40 people put their heads together to tackle the island’s current issues as well as its goals. The workshop was held by the county to update the 2001 Molokai Community Plan.
Water and water use was one of the main topics of heated discussion. Many residents said how frustrated they were at the different agencies and organizations controlling the water – state, county, private companies – but not talking to each other.
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Want to get involved? The next workshop will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16, again at the Mitchell Pauole Center from 9 a.m. – 1p.m. Attendees will further discuss the strategies to put the plan into action.
Save the Date
Oct. 16 – Goals and Strategies workshop, MPC 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Oct.-Dec. – More community workshops
April 2011 – Submit a “study” (initial draft) of the plan to Community Plan Advisory Committee
April-October ’11 – Committee makes recommendations, submits to MoPC
Oct. 2011-Oct. 2012 – Molokai Planning Commission makes recommendations, submits to Maui County Council
2012-2013 – Maui County Council votes yay or nay to approve plan
Health Center Gets Crowd Support
While Maui County officials sought requests from Molokai for next year’s budget, a group of Molokai residents and workers first testified for more immediately-available funds last week.
The county’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program received $2 million in federal funds, which will be available for projects across the county in 2011.
Much of the crowd pegged the Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC) as a prime candidate to receive a portion of the funds.
“[MCHC] is an integrated model of health care,” said Desiree Puhi, the center’s executive director. “We have a patient base of about 2,900 and we need the county and community to continue to support us.”
Common Threads
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By Catherine Cluett, Special to the Dispatch
There’s a lot that small islands in the Pacific Ocean have in common. But Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, and Molokai have some personal ties. Molokai’s Brigid Mulloy is the daughter of William Mulloy, the archeologist who restored the well-known statues in Rapa Nui known as Ahu Akivi in 1960. The seven statues of Ahu Akivi comprise the first ceremonial site ever restored on Rapa Nui.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of their restoration, and Brigid Mulloy and her family are traveling to the South Pacific island to celebrate the historic event. They are bringing with them another piece of Molokai – T-shirts to commemorate the event printed right here on Molokai.
Molokai artists Ann Van Eps and Steve Legare purchased a printing press from Bamboo Pantry after the store closed several months ago. Since then, they have been printing shirts on Molokai for sale and various events by special order. The Ahu Akivi anniversary shirts feature a historic photo of the restoration, printed smoothly on silky polyester shirts. Mulloy said she will take 100 of the shirts to Rapa Nui for the celebration, and more will be printed afterward to share on Molokai.
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Mulloy said she will take 100 of the shirts to Rapa Nui for the celebration, then more will be printed afterward to share on Molokai. Mulloy and her family will travel to Rapa Nui for the month of October. She said several events to honor her father’s work will take place during that time.
October 12, 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the blessing of the completed restoration. The main event will be a celebration at the site will take place that day, attended by public officials, community members and family members of those who worked on the restoration. The population of Rapa Nui is about 6,000 people, and Mulloy said she expects many to attend the celebration.
Mary Inouye Van Gils
Mary Inouye Van Gils, 91, of Kaunakaki, died on September 14, 2010 at her home. She was born on November 10, 1918 in Kamalo. She is survived by her son Michael (Cathy) Inouye of Kaunakakai; brothers Paul (Ann) Inouye of Puyallup, Wash; Shigenobu (Jane) Inouye of Kamalo; sister Beatrice McWiggins of Honolulu; grandson David (Keiko) Inouye of Yokohama, Japan; two great-granddaughters Karlyn and Leina of Yokohama, Japan, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Friends called on September 24, 2010 from 8 a.m., with Mass at 10 a.m. at the Kaunakakai Baptist Church. Burial followed at the St. Joseph church cemetery in Kamalo, Father Clyde Guerreiro presiding.
Uldarico Eleccion
Uldarico Eleccion, 93, of Maunaloa, died on September 14, 2010 at the Molokai General Hospital in Kaunakakai. He was born on June 27, 1917 in San Esteban, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. He is survived by wife Priscilla Eleccion of Maunaloa; sons Fidel Eleccion of the Philippines, Onuffre Eleccion of Kihei, Maui, Derek Eleccion of Kihei, Maui, and Matthew (Nanette) Eleccion of Arizona; daughters Conchita Ebojo of California, Vanessa Eleccion of California; brothers Felix (Salome) Eleccion of Honolulu, Macario (Linda) Eleccion of California, Manolo Eleccion of Honolulu; sisters Olympia Ebojo of the Philippines and Felicitas Eleccion of the Philippines; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
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