• Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed

  • Submission Deadlines

    Advertising

    Thursday 4pm

    January 30, 2025

    Content

    Friday 4pm

    January 31, 2025

    To print on:

    Wednesday

    January 29, 2025

  • Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Google Plus Subscribe via RSS

Agriculture

$2.5M in Grants for Local Farmers

Wednesday, October 14th, 2020

County of Maui News Release

The County of Maui and Maui Economic Opportunity launched today a $2.5 million program to assist small local farmers in Maui County. The Agriculture Micro Grants Program provides grant funding of up to $25,000 to farmers on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

Applications are available online at meoinc.org.

“This program will benefit local consumers by improving the availability of local produce, livestock and poultry in Maui County, while also increasing farm capacity, productivity, name recognition and income for farmers,” Mayor Michael Victorino said.

Farm qualifications include:

• Operating farms throughout Maui County (crops, livestock, poultry and products).…

Posted in , , , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Extreme Drought Conditions Continue

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

Extreme Drought Conditions Continue

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

It comes as no surprise to many Molokai residents that the island is in a serious drought. With parts of Molokai suffering from conditions recently classified as extreme drought, farmers are and their crops are among those particularly affected.

According to the national U.S. Drought Monitor, with data updated on Sept. 15, the west end of Molokai is already indicated at D3, extreme drought category, and one of the only areas in Hawaii under than classification.

Those conditions will likely continue through the fall, stated an Aug. 20 outlook issued by NOAA Climate Prediction Center. Any rainfall that does occur will probably continue to favor the east-facing windward slopes, with leeward areas becoming drier.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

More Molokai Farmers Awarded Grants

Thursday, May 21st, 2020

HDOA News Release

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) will be issuing a second round of grants totaling an additional $200,000 under the COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Program to assist farmers, ranchers and growers who have experienced financial damage. In this second round, 96 grants were issued ranging between $2,000 and $4,000 each and will provide stop-gap financial relief to help agribusinesses during the COVID-19 crisis, including seven grants on Molokai. The funds may be used to help utilize an oversupply of agricultural products resulting from decreased demand due to closures of restaurants, schools and other businesses.

Last month, HDOA issued 106 grants totaling $270,000, of which $250,000 came from the State’s barrel tax fund (Agriculture Development and Food Security Special Fund) and made available through Gov.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Cancelled Molokai Earth Day

Wednesday, April 8th, 2020

By Edwin T. Misaki, TNC Director of Molokai Programs

Aloha and I hope you are all doing well during this pandemic. Like most events that will bring together lots of people, the 2020 Molokai Earth Day has been cancelled. The theme for this year is, “‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia, No task is too big when done together by all.” The theme honors the watershed partnerships in Hawaii and is the 20th anniversary of the formation of the East Molokai Watershed Partnership (EMoWP). It also emphasizes how anything is possible when we all work together as we are doing now during these times of the COVID-19 epidemic.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

Survival on Molokai

Wednesday, March 25th, 2020

I share the vision and belief for survival of our life on Molokai. Farm, plant coconut, ulu, kalo, banana from our Polynesian heritage. King Kamehameha V’s vision and message to all of us was to farm, plant coconut trees, the tree of life and survival.

Look around – what is happening to life in the world?

Farm, plant our Polynesian heritage food. Create art: beautiful edible landscaping, happy fun financial hobbies. All lands are sacred, same time our survival depends on using them. That’s what the earth is all about for mankind. With care and respect, Molokai, recognize what you have.…

Posted in , , , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Farm-to-School Coordinator for Molokai Sought

Thursday, March 19th, 2020

CTAHR News Release

Through a partnership between the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and the Hawaii State Department of Health, a new position has been created for the island of Molokai. The purpose of this new position will be to provide educational support for farm-to-school activities in Molokai schools.

One of the key responsibilities will be to conduct a community needs assessment and community inventory of farm-to-school programs and activities. Responsibilities may include support for school gardens and agriculture programs, education and youth leadership, and local procurement of food for school cafeterias. Developing relationships and networking locally among educational institutions and food producers, and other food system stakeholders will be an important focus.…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Molokai Hemp Operations to Begin

Wednesday, December 18th, 2019

Molokai Hemp Operations to Begin

The new year will bring a new crop to be grown on Molokai. A company called Archipelago Ventures has announced it will begin hemp production on the island, under the local leadership of Adolph Helm, who is serving as general manager. The hemp will be grown for extraction of cannabidiol, or CBDDY: cbd pure hemp oil, for its medical qualities, which is licensed in Hawaii by the state Department of Agriculture.

“Operations will mainly consist of the production and manufacturing of hemp,” said Helm. “Hemp is a specie of cannabis that has many beneficial uses… Within the next upcoming months, plans are in place on Molokai to grow our first small scale production field.”…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

GET Local Youth Cooking Contest

Sunday, September 9th, 2018

UHCES News Release

The University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service (UHCES) is launching a campaign to promote local growers in the community and encourage healthy eating by holding a GET Local Video Cooking Competition. GET local stands for Grow, Eat, Think Local. All students who are 12 to 18 years old are invited to submit a cooking video that highlights their cooking abilities, uses a local ingredient for their recipe, and includes information on the local farmer.

Prizes for winners include the chance for one recipe to be added to the menu of a top restaurant on Maui, an opportunity to film a live cooking show with a celebrity chef for a local television station, and $100 gift cards for video recording equipment.…

Posted in , , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Local Produce 50 Percent Off for EBT Customers

Friday, September 7th, 2018

Sust’aina ble Molokai News Release

Sustʻaina ble Molokai’s Mobile Market began their “EBT Double Bucks Program” on Sept. 1!

Does your family receive SNAP/EBT benefits? Are you interested in eating more fresh, healthy, local produce? Then you should check out Sustʻaina ble Molokai’s Mobile Market at sustainablemolokai.org/mobile-market/.

The main goals of the program are to improve healthy food access and support local farmers. Buying local means that more food dollars stay in the local economy, which has a positive ripple effect for Molokai.

Here’s how our EBT Double Bucks Program works: Shop for fresh fruits and vegetable with the Sustʻaina ble Molokai Mobile Market, pay with your EBT card, and receive 50 percent off your purchase when you pick up your order.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Lanikeha Re-Opens with a Facelift

Wednesday, July 25th, 2018

Lanikeha Re-Opens with a Facelift

 

With a mission to help homestead farmers reach their full potential, Lanikeha Community Center in Ho’olehua has reopened its doors with renovations that represent a dream.

“We began this dream a few years ago, we stayed on that mission… and what people said was a mission impossible, is mission accomplished,” said Rosie Davis, legal authorized representative of the Molokai Homestead Farmers Alliance (MHFA). “Our journey continues and it’s just getting better. We’re so proud of where we were… and where we’re going. [This facility] strengthens the community, it strengthens our homesteaders.”

The $1.7 million renovation project by the MHFA, which manages the facility, was paid for by state Grant in Aid funds.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment