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Agriculture

Many Shades of Orange

Thursday, August 21st, 2014

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH CTAHR

Citrus is a family of closely related species, most of which can cross with each other to create new varieties. The main citrus species include Tachibana Orange, Lemon, Mandarin or Tangerine, Indian Wild Orange, Pummelo, Sweet Orange, Sour Orange, and Grapefruit. Grapefruit is believed to be a natural hybrid between pummelo and sweet orange discovered in the Caribbean. The Sweet Orange is among the most popular citrus, including the common or blonde orange, the sugar orange, the blood orange and the navel orange. Crosses between species have created tangelo, tangor, tantangelo, lemandarine, calamondin, and many others.…

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Like a Grasshopper

Wednesday, August 6th, 2014

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH CTAHR

In the popular television show, “Kung Fu,” Master Po refers to his student as “Grasshopper,” a term of endearment for one who is young, has a lot to learn, and whose mind jumps around “like a grasshopper.”

We probably have to more to learn from the grasshopper than he can learn from us. Few other insects have caused greater direct loss to crops worldwide than have grasshoppers. From ancient times to now, grasshoppers have caused the death through famine of millions of human beings. Damage is worse in areas with low rainfall when food is sparse.…

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Teatime in the Garden

Wednesday, August 6th, 2014

Community Contributed

By Simon Mendes

This past school year as a Food Corp service member at Sust`ainable Molokai, I visited weekly with Kumu Teddy Sotello’s second grade class at Maunaloa Elementary. On a typical class day, I led students outside to their small, designer 4-by-4-foot “tea garden” bed—constructed at the beginning of the year—where we’d harvest a couple of pieces of mint and lemongrass. We often discussed how herbs like mint and lemongrass can be used in different kinds of teas, similar to how raspberry leaf tea is appreciated for its unique flavor and health benefits. I collected the harvest, poured over hot water, and we’d wait for tea to brew.…

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A Slice of Sweet Harvest

Wednesday, July 30th, 2014

A Slice of Sweet Harvest

The summer sun beats down on the Davis family watermelon stand on Kamehameha Highway by Rawlins’ Chevron gas station every Saturday. With a pickup truck pilled sky-high with about 500 fresh, colossal, 20-pound watermelons ripened to perfection in Ho`olehua’s heat, Jared Davis sells his all-natural watermelons at his roadside stand in the summertime on Molokai.

For Davis, a third generation farmer who is keeping farming alive in his family and on Molokai, watermelons are a vital crop and livelihood for his ohana, he said.

“When I was younger there were a lot of farmers around here that planted watermelon,” Davis said.…

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Molokai Gold a Buzzing Business

Wednesday, July 30th, 2014

Molokai Gold a Buzzing Business

The lure of creamy, golden honey from a local business is giving people across the islands bees on the brain. If you haven’t heard the buzz, Molokai is home to the best honey in Hawaii—that’s according to judges at the 2013 Hawaiian Natural Honey Challenge.

Molokai Gold, a year-old honey company run by beekeepers Micah Buchanan and Marshall Joy, is whipping up raw, unfiltered and natural honey.

“It was my honor and privilege to receive your beautiful honeys and prepare them for the Formal Judging and Public Tasting,” registrar of the Honey Challenge Pattie Rechtman said of Molokai Gold in a letter to Joy.…

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New Ti Leaf Virus

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014

New Ti Leaf Virus

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH CTAHR

 Ti leaf is an important subsistence and commercial crop in Hawaii with diverse uses. An ornamental crop used for hula skirts, leis, and puolo, a bundle or container, Ti plants are also a central part of the tropical landscape with many new leaf sizes and colors. Leaves are used in the preparation of Hawaiian foods, such as laulau with pork and taro leaf, and lawalu, to wrap fish and other seafood and local starches for baking, and also as greens in floral arrangements. It also has ceremonial and medicinal uses, and Ti roots are also used in the production of liquor, okolehao.…

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Molokai Resident New Crop Assc. President

Thursday, July 10th, 2014

HCIA News Release

Recent Molokai resident Kirby Kester is the new president of the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association (HCIA), as well as Dow AgroSciences’ Hawaii R&D Leader.

With nearly 20 years’ experience in the seed industry on Kauai, Kester now resides on Molokai and serves as site Leader for Dow AgroSciences’ R&D Station on Molokai, as well as provides oversight for Kauai’s Seeds and Traits R&D program.

Kirby holds a M.S. of Agriculture degree from Iowa State University and a B.S. in Agronomy from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.  He has been a member of HCIA since 1995, and will serve a two-year term as president.…

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4-H Ranchers Put Skills to the Test

Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

4-H Ranchers Put Skills to the Test

Judged on their stance, temperament, muscle mass and ability to follow direction, pigs and steer competed with their owners for top ribbon last weekend. The animals were gathered under white tents at the Kaunakakai Ball Park as eager fans filled the stands ready to cheer on keiki as they showed off their prized animals.

For months, youth in the Molokai 4-H Livestock Club, have been raising, grooming, keeping records and showing their animals in preparation for the annual Molokai 4-H Livestock Expo last weekend. The program promotes agriculture and teaches children responsibility and the business aspect of life, said Event Director Rex Kamakana.…

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Grassroots Concert Raises Money and Awareness

Tuesday, July 8th, 2014

In a world full of fast-food, imported groceries and processed snacks, a Molokai organization is combating the food norm to promote eating local.

The concept of eating and buying local can be daunting but that hasn’t stopped The MOM Hui—and its grassroots network of like-minded advocates, farmers, vendors and ohana—from promoting sustainability, a healthy environment and a conscious lifestyle.

Hundreds of attendees gathered under a star-lit sky last Saturday to promote this vision at Duke Maliu Park for the second annual Grassroots Benefit Concert organized by The MOM Hui.

“I want the community to be conscious of the impact we can have on our environment through the choices we make, the food we eat, the way we decide to grow our food and how we take care of this environment,” said MOM Hui founder Mercy Ritte.…

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Fruit Growers Molokai Mini-Conference  

Thursday, July 3rd, 2014

HTFG News Release

The 24th Annual Hawaii International Tropical Fruit Conference is September 12-14 at the Kahili Golf Course on Maui. Geared to farmers, educators, orchard managers and proponents of sustainable agriculture, the weeklong event is presented by the statewide Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG) and open to the public.

The annual gathering continues September 15-19 with abbreviated sessions on Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Hilo and Kona. Molokai’s inaugural mini-conference is Monday, Sept. 15 to accommodate a growing, active chapter on The Friendly Isle.

The Maui conference is titled “It’s All About Production” and offers a variety of breakout sessions, plus visiting researchers and agro experts.…

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