On March 12^th and 13^th The Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Kaua'i, in conjunction with the Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network, presented two day-long educational workshops: 'Ulu from Root to Fruit. The March 12^th workshop was held in Kona at the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook, while the March 13^th event took place at the Kua O Ka La Public Charter School in Puna. The workshops were designed to raise awareness and revitalize the custom of growing, cooking and eating 'ulu, a traditional Polynesian food and, along with kalo, sweet potato, yam, banana and coconut, one of the original Hawaiian canoe plants. 'Ulu is an underutilized, nutritious, abundant, delicious, and easily grown food resource on the islands.

This farmers market is a bit different from any other on Hawai’i Island for a couple of reasons. First, it is located on a farm; and second, there are only two vendors . . . but don’t discount it because it's different. This market opens every Tuesday and Friday from 2 to 5 in the afternoons -- perfect for both weekly and weekend shopping -- and supplies an abundant variety of its own farm-fresh vegetables. Plus goat cheese, coffee, honey, fruits and vanilla beans from other producers. 

Making friends with the neighborhood bullies

I'll tell you a secret: find ways to use the power of "invasive" plants and your life will get easier. This little article is intended just to get the conversation going.

Cane grass (Elephant grass, Pennisetum purpureum): We see the stuff all around, and it mostly brings to mind the thought of abandoned, underused land. In Puna, the papaya fields lie fallow in cycles of several years, and cane grass is usually the primary invader. This plant makes a thick, impenetrable barrier up to twelve feet tall. Cane grass grows readily from nodes, and seasonally disperses wind-blown seed. I have looked at cane grass as an annoying invasive plant pest...until I didn't.

The Ho’oulu Community Farmers Market, located on the grounds of the Keauhou Beach Resort/Outrigger Hotel, is a laid-back mid-week market. Opened only since last October on the hotel’s luau garden site, the Wednesday market hours are from 10 am to 3 pm. This market is sponsored by Na Wai Iwi Ola, a non-profit foundation that perpetuates Hawaiian customs and history, and by the Keauhou Beach Resort/Outrigger Hospitality Program. It focuses on vendors who sell only locally grown produce and fruits, coffee, macnuts, honey, eggs, preserves and other value-added products, as well as local artisan crafts.