Talking to Legislators

Days 3 and 4 of our O'ahu trip were stationed at the State Capitol. The State Legislature was in session and we were lucky to have one of our class members, Rep. Chris Lee, not only share with us why he does what he does as a pubic servant but also give us access to the ins and outs of the Legislature. We also listened to a number of other speakers such as Joy Gold, Professor Dan Boylan, Mark Fox (Kai Fox's look-alike) of The Nature Conservancy, Garrett Webb (former ALP participant who got a bill passed on his first try!), and Luella Costeles (class participant and head of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation). Everyone had something different yet related to share about their experiences at the Capitol.

Each class member shadowed a selected State Representative or Senator for one day to get a feel for what these legislators do and the constituents they meet. It was an honor to be recognized by all of the House and Senate representatives when they were in session on the floor. Another highlight was giving a presentation to legislators, their staff members and representatives from Dept of Accounting and General Services about the "Capitol Ponds Project, which is being proposed by the Class. If the stars align, we could see the ponds transformed to be an agricultural and educational project featuring native fishes, plants, and aquaponic systems. Wouldn't that be great?!

More Farms and Food!

We ended our tours visiting a small family farm at the Mililani Ag Park. A Laotian couple works everyday on their 9 acre farm, growing a variety of beans, daikon, papaya, and more. Their dedication to their farm and family truly impressed us. Through their hard work, they sent all of their children to college while providing food for Hawai`i.

Our final stop was the Hawai`i Agricultural Research Center in Kunia. While we were not able to see their research operations, we took full advantage of their new facility, which is a superb site for a barbeque and gathering overlooking Pearl Harbor. We enjoyed the traditional "alumni dinner," which included many of ALFH's board members. Mahalo to all who came for their camaraderie and 'onolicious grinds!

Commercial Aquaponics at Mari's Garden

Our next stop was visiting Mari's Garden in Mililani, run by Fred Lau. Nestled in a suburban community, Fred has an impressive operation of landscaping plants and aquaponics systems. On the cutting edge, Fred has tested a variety of systems with the help of UH's CTAHR and others. He has found success in growing a variety of vegetables such as lettuce and green onions and a lot of tilapia. He can barely keep up with the demand for tilapia. Fred shared his trials and tribulations with us and showed us the promise that the aquaponics industry holds for Hawai`i.

Sugarland Farms in Kunia

Talk about contrast!  After we visited MA'O Organic Farms in Wai'anae, we drove to Kunia to visit Larry Jefts and his very successful Sugarland Farms, a family business. While we sat on Larry's lanai, we talked about a host of issues that he deals with daily and delved into his  philosophy on farming as a business. His business is successful because he produces a quality product at a good price, targeting the average household.  We went on a tour of his tomato operation, which was quite fascinating to watch. It's fully automated but there are many hands that help with sorting and quality control.  Sugarland's tomatoes are in all of Hawaii's Subway sandwiches, which we enjoyed for lunch.

MA'O Farms in Wai'anae Builds Farmers and Community

Back in beautiful Wai'anae Valley on the west side of the island, we witnessed the busy activities of young farmers at MA'O Organic farms. A non-profit organization, MA'O uses a business model to grow produce, farmers, and community -- focusing on socio-economic development. Kamuela Enos gave us a wonderful tour and Gary  Forth spoke to us as well, highlighting the group's mission and activities to help achieve their goals. We learned that much of the operation is run by local youth, some enrolled at Leeward Community College where their tuition is paid for by MA'O.  The farm produces food including delicate baby greens for some of the island's finest restaurants as well as for farmers' markets. This was definitely an inspirational stop.

Following the "Cold Chain"

Seminar 4 in March 2011 brought the Class to O'ahu. Day one's focus was on the cold chain -- how food is kept fresh and chilled in transport -- and food safety issues. The day's stops included Armstrong Produce, Young Brothers, Nalo Farms and its new chilling facility, and UH CTAHR's Waimanalo research station.