02-28-2012, 03:28 AM
Aloha All
It shouldn't surprise us that more and more people are beginning to wake up about our food situation. Living in these islands, so far away from any other landmass, we are dependent on much of our food being imported and at the mercy of many whims of nature and man.
Farmers Markets & CSAs:
Farmers markets keep opening all around our island. Almost 30 of them at last count!...and new CSA farms or brokers are also popping up all around us.
Farmers Market Co-ops:
We know that not all of us can farm or grow enough to maintain a booth of our own at any of the farmers markets, or have the time to do so, but here is a concept that started a bit over a year ago and now others are picking up in other areas.
There are several very enterprising people who are forming co-ops to sell whatever amount of produce/fruit/veggies you might have growing in your yards or farms w/o having to make a weekly commitment to rent or man your own booth at a market.
The concept is simple; you harvest your trees and the co-op picks up that harvest the evening before market or you drop it off at a pre-designated location. You set your price, they keep a % of sales, remaining costs and profits are split between members according to what sells each day.
The first one we know of was the Koa'e Community Co-op representing over 30 individuals or farmers and founded by Catarina Saragoza (catzdodge@gmail.com) who takes the collective produce/merchandise and sells it at the S. P. A. C. E. farmers market in Seaview. Check the Friday, November 25, 2011 blog post to see the impressive results in just a years' time.
The newest one we have heard of is the Maku'u Backyard Growers Co-op founded by Mary & Sean Jennings (982-8925 - wjennings@gmail.com) - this co-op has been patterned after the Koa'e Community Co-op and are actively looking for members to join and sell their harvests/products at the Maku'u Farmers Market, hopefully starting February 18th.
Recently, interest has been expressed to possibly start a co-op in the Honoka'a area. If this comes to be, I will be sharing the info with you. If interested in knowing more about this project let me know and I can put you in contact with the individuals who are interested in starting it.
If you know of other co-ops around the island that are collectively selling in our farmers markets, please let me know.
Community Gardens:
A Ka'u Community Garden has already been started in donated lands. More information will be available when they are ready to open to the public for tours, workshops and so forth.
http://www.kaucommunitygarden.webs.com/
The Pahoa Community Garden is looking for volunteers for a Garden Work Party, March 10 from 3 pm until pau. The garden is located directly
across from Cash & Carry and backs up to the Island Naturals parking
lot in downtown Pahoa. We're looking for volunteers to help transform this space into a positive, edible paradise for the whole community to enjoy. An 'ulu tree has been graciously donated as well as some bananas, sweet potato and coconut keiki's. We'd love to get more, so if you have any plants you'd like to donate, bring them along. Especially Hawaiian Canoe crops such as awa, kalo, ti, awapuhi, pia, etc.
We could also use some materials such as cardboard, soil, manure, etc.
Remember to bring the proper work clothes, some tools, such as
shovels, pick-axes, o'o bars, weeders, etc. And bring your friends.
Its a party!! Sponsored by Pahoa Village Museum and the East Hawaii Community Timebank
Let's Grow Hilo sponsored by the Downtown Improvement Association of Hilo is already up and running and making great strides in changing the landscape in several downtown areas.
Food Swaps:
Individuals who are interested in small time bartering of food and related items such as food plants, seeds, cuttings; vegetables, fruits; preserves, jams, jellies; also livestock and derivatives such as milk, butter, cheese, eggs, etc. including homemade breads and other baked goods, are joining groups such as Share the Harvest a Big Island based Yahoo group where members can list/share their excess garden or backyard harvests with others and in turn receive the items they can't grow or make themselves.
If you're aware of any movement or co-op along the order of the above around our island, please let me know so I can continue to update this post.
Aloha and Mahalo
IKE PAYNE
It shouldn't surprise us that more and more people are beginning to wake up about our food situation. Living in these islands, so far away from any other landmass, we are dependent on much of our food being imported and at the mercy of many whims of nature and man.
Farmers Markets & CSAs:
Farmers markets keep opening all around our island. Almost 30 of them at last count!...and new CSA farms or brokers are also popping up all around us.
Farmers Market Co-ops:
We know that not all of us can farm or grow enough to maintain a booth of our own at any of the farmers markets, or have the time to do so, but here is a concept that started a bit over a year ago and now others are picking up in other areas.
There are several very enterprising people who are forming co-ops to sell whatever amount of produce/fruit/veggies you might have growing in your yards or farms w/o having to make a weekly commitment to rent or man your own booth at a market.
The concept is simple; you harvest your trees and the co-op picks up that harvest the evening before market or you drop it off at a pre-designated location. You set your price, they keep a % of sales, remaining costs and profits are split between members according to what sells each day.
The first one we know of was the Koa'e Community Co-op representing over 30 individuals or farmers and founded by Catarina Saragoza (catzdodge@gmail.com) who takes the collective produce/merchandise and sells it at the S. P. A. C. E. farmers market in Seaview. Check the Friday, November 25, 2011 blog post to see the impressive results in just a years' time.
The newest one we have heard of is the Maku'u Backyard Growers Co-op founded by Mary & Sean Jennings (982-8925 - wjennings@gmail.com) - this co-op has been patterned after the Koa'e Community Co-op and are actively looking for members to join and sell their harvests/products at the Maku'u Farmers Market, hopefully starting February 18th.
Recently, interest has been expressed to possibly start a co-op in the Honoka'a area. If this comes to be, I will be sharing the info with you. If interested in knowing more about this project let me know and I can put you in contact with the individuals who are interested in starting it.
If you know of other co-ops around the island that are collectively selling in our farmers markets, please let me know.
Community Gardens:
A Ka'u Community Garden has already been started in donated lands. More information will be available when they are ready to open to the public for tours, workshops and so forth.
http://www.kaucommunitygarden.webs.com/
The Pahoa Community Garden is looking for volunteers for a Garden Work Party, March 10 from 3 pm until pau. The garden is located directly
across from Cash & Carry and backs up to the Island Naturals parking
lot in downtown Pahoa. We're looking for volunteers to help transform this space into a positive, edible paradise for the whole community to enjoy. An 'ulu tree has been graciously donated as well as some bananas, sweet potato and coconut keiki's. We'd love to get more, so if you have any plants you'd like to donate, bring them along. Especially Hawaiian Canoe crops such as awa, kalo, ti, awapuhi, pia, etc.
We could also use some materials such as cardboard, soil, manure, etc.
Remember to bring the proper work clothes, some tools, such as
shovels, pick-axes, o'o bars, weeders, etc. And bring your friends.
Its a party!! Sponsored by Pahoa Village Museum and the East Hawaii Community Timebank
Let's Grow Hilo sponsored by the Downtown Improvement Association of Hilo is already up and running and making great strides in changing the landscape in several downtown areas.
Food Swaps:
Individuals who are interested in small time bartering of food and related items such as food plants, seeds, cuttings; vegetables, fruits; preserves, jams, jellies; also livestock and derivatives such as milk, butter, cheese, eggs, etc. including homemade breads and other baked goods, are joining groups such as Share the Harvest a Big Island based Yahoo group where members can list/share their excess garden or backyard harvests with others and in turn receive the items they can't grow or make themselves.
If you're aware of any movement or co-op along the order of the above around our island, please let me know so I can continue to update this post.
Aloha and Mahalo
IKE PAYNE
IKE PAYNE