In farming, the real test when you fall down is how fast you get up and move forward.

Below is a letter I wrote to a Hawaiian homesteader several years ago. He was interested in farming, but for some reason he had a difficult time understanding what he needed to do in order to create a farm business, and also wasn’t realistic about his goals. He was looking for solutions such as setting up a farm to teach others how to farm without having a basic knowledge of farming, or networking with others to get his farm started when he didn’t have any production.

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.

A lunch featuring breadfruit was provided by Café Pesto.

A half-day chockfull of ‘ulu workshop was held on the morning of May 10^th, at the Ho’oulu Lahui site of the Kua O Ka La Public Charter School at Pu’ala’a, located next to the ‘Ahalanui County Park warm ponds in Puna.

The presentations were aimed at backyard and commercial growers, entrepreneurs, chefs and home consumers.

Shade grown Kona coffee berries.

The coffee seed, referred to as “bean,” is processed, roasted and brewed for beverages. The roasted beans and brewed coffee are also used in candies, desserts and savory dishes. Many uses for the fruit, seed, and by-products can be found. The fruit pulp can be dried and used to make tea, which contains caffeine and antioxidants. The fruit pulp is high in nitrogen and potassium and is used, fresh or composted, for fertilizer and to add organic matter to the soil. The parchment skins also add organic matter and are used as mulch in coffee orchards and around other plants.