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+--- Thread: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding (/showthread.php?tid=23577)
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 10-09-2025
How many tons of pollution are the pint of strawberries worth? Could they be grown without that cost
They can. I grew mine on the mainland with about 95% local organic fertilizer, and green manures.
Side note: I grew a few short rows of a 1940’s strawberry variety, Fairfax*. They were small, and turned a darker dull red color within 12 hours of picking. Next to my big shiny bright red berries they looked sad. But a few people would look at them, suspiciously, and ask, what are those like? And I’d reply, try one.
The response was always wide eyes and a big smile. They were the sweetest berries known to man and nobody grew them anymore. Within a few weeks I kept all of them under my market table, the entire supply saved for customers who preordered. When you know, you know.
On Big Island, we’d have to go to Waimea Farmers Market to find local low carbon or organic strawberries, or Costco for shipped in organic.
* I’ve never tried growing Fairfax in Hawaii, but my guess is it would not be easy. It’s an old variety without resistance to various diseases that newer varieties have. The subtropics have plenty of diseases in the soil, and circulating in our warm humid air.
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - kalianna - 10-09-2025
I have a bunch of strawberries growing here, planted last spring in a raised bed as an experiment. Beautiful plants, lots of runners... and they have yet to flower or fruit despite removing the runners. :-( And BTW, Iʻm enjoying your respectful and intelligent discussion here. No insults, no self-righteousness, very refreshing!
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 10-10-2025
lots of runners... and they have yet to flower or fruit
Removing the runners is good. Do you have a day neutral variety?
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - kalianna - 10-10-2025
Not sure what that is but probably not. Iʻll just wait until next spring and hope for the best. Sorry for the diversion. Talk amongst yourselves...
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - ironyak - 10-10-2025
Edge - I grew a few short rows of a 1940’s strawberry variety, Fairfax*...
Well to tap your strawberry expertise, are there any strains suited for Puna? I gave up on strawberries long ago after too many experiences like kalianna's (maybe they'd make a good ground cover? ;) and the only people I know that have had success are those that grow them hydroponically or in isolated containers with potting soil (which to me falls in the "more inputs than they're worth" category). The only strawberries that thrive around here appear to be of the guava variety...
Meanwhile, some organizations are having to tap into resiliency funds similar to during the height of the covid pandemic. Probably not a good sign of things to come.
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/10/01/hawaii-news/foundation-taps-pandemic-era-resilience-fund-as-nonprofits-brace-for-funding-cuts/
"The Hawaii Community Foundation has reactivated its Hawaii Resilience Fund to confront what leaders say is one of the most severe threats to the state’s nonprofit sector in decades: the loss of federal funding that sustains food programs, housing assistance, child welfare and other essential services for hundreds of thousands of residents.
According to HCF, more than $97 million in federal grants to Hawaii nonprofits has already been cut, frozen or delayed, with as much as $300 million more at risk. The fallout could affect more than 500,000 residents who rely on nonprofits for daily support — from children to elders — and trigger layoffs across a sector that employs 80,000 people, or roughly one in eight workers in the state." (more at link)
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 10-10-2025
strawberry expertise, are there any strains suited for Puna?
I probably tried years ago, but don’t remember having much success. There are short day, day neutral, and ever bearing varieties. This refers to the amount of light necessary for them to bear fruit. They prefer cooler weather than most of lower Puna, the commercial growers are in Kula-Ulupalakua on Maui and Waimea on Big Island.
The ground cover types do well in Volcano, but the berries are tiny, and even if you tried to pick a few, the Kalij Pheasants usually beat you to it.
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - MyManao - 10-10-2025
(10-10-2025, 08:53 PM)HereOnThePrimalEdge Wrote: strawberry.. the ground cover types do well in Volcano, but the berries are tiny..
I've grown several varieties.. in the ground.. buckets full of large juicy commercial grade strawberries.. year after year.. in the Volcano Farm Lots. Other's results may vary dependent upon their conditions.. and expertise. And, to be sure.. the conditions in the Farm Lots are far from those in the Village..
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 10-25-2025
It’s the next illogical step. Take away healthcare, what’s next? Food. SNAP benefits are paused for November until the Big Beautiful Shutdown is resolved. Beauty in the eyes of billionaire beholders. Here’s some information on how it affects our neighbors in Puna, and Hawaii, with links to organizations that are stepping up to help:
Initial efforts will focus on underserved areas, where families could experience greater impacts from a SNAP disruption.
Vibrant Hawaiʻi is purchasing locally sourced produce, proteins and shelf-stable food to serve about 1,800 residents during the first 3 weeks of November.
https://bigislandnow.com/2025/10/25/what-aloha-in-action-looks-like-vibrant-hawaiʻi-mobilizing-to-lessen-impact-of-snap-suspension/
There’s an old saying, “from the mouth of babes” which refers to wisdom spoken by children of an unusually young age. It may be from the New Testament. If any buffet style Christians recognize that aphorism as part of their chosen beliefs, please let the rest of us know whether taking food from the mouths of babes is also found anywhere in the Bible? Because I see plenty of people on the TV wearing shiny gold ($4137/oz!) crosses who seem to think so. Fortunately for the hungry in Puna there are people in Hawaii who remember Jesus said to feed the poor, and those who are unaffiliated with any organized belief system that personally believe it’s just a good idea, in general.
Can “I’m hungry!” when spoken by a child be considered words of wisdom? It probably depends who’s listening.
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - Obie - 10-26-2025
You do realize it's the Democrats that are keeping the government closed don't you ?
I thought I could be helpful by providing Crazy Mazie's contact info.
Here it is.
"Email me about an issue
Due to the government shutdown, my office is currently unable to respond to calls or messages. Please note that any correspondence to my office will receive a reply once the government reopens and the office resumes normal business operations."
Guess she doesn't want to pay her office staff from her pay which hasn't been stopped and she doesn't know how to respond to emails.
RE: Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding - MyManao - 10-26-2025
(10-25-2025, 08:24 PM)HereOnThePrimalEdge Wrote: It’s the next illogical step. Take away healthcare, what’s next? Food.
Industrially... healthcare has a much smaller effect. Of course folks not getting it suffer, and those providing it suffer financially, though it is sorta hidden from our view overall. But the lack of SNAP, besides having an obvious and immediate effect on those on the receiving end, has a broad impact on the stores where SNAP benefits are spent.
I have always thought of SNAP as being far more a subsidy of the food industry than a safety net for the less fortunate. Not to say I begrudge anyone for their part in it. In fact I think it’s one of the things that says we are a good society, we take care of our own less fortunate. But think, how much does KTA, or any store, get daily from SNAP benefits? Locally, I imagine, we're talking an appreciable percentage of sales.. and we can extrapolate this across the country and up the supply chain.. and all that’s being suspended, all in the name of political vindictiveness.
And, btw, if left up to the WH and their cronies in congress, I don't see an end to the shutdown in sight. It's going to be real dicey in the news/emotionally come Thanksgiving, but the king doesn't care.. he'd be happy if it stayed shut down for the duration. And just think, come Christmas we’ll be treated to the juxtaposition of his horrid, ugly, graciousless greed to the American masses suffering. Oh how great we are, eh?