The 11th Annual HOFA Membership Meeting was held on November 2nd at the King Kamehameha Hotel in Kailua-Kona. Over 100 people attended, dined on a delicious organic buffet, and contributed donations to our silent auction valuing nearly $3,000.

This year ‘s guest speakers had a large focus on genetic engineering in Hawaii and the impacts it is having on organic farmers. It was nice to see representation come together from the University as well as local organic farmers.

Nominations for the Board of 2004 were made and two new candidates were chosen to run, Elisha Goodman and Robert Burton. This year we have six positions and six candidates so the choice will be easy. HOFA is happy to welcome two new members to the Board of Directors and look forward to a year of refreshed enthusiasm.

HOFA will also be saying a big mahalo and farewell to our past Board President, Damian Paul. Damian served on the HOFA Board for the last two years and brought great perspective as a retail store owner to the organization. We will greatly miss his contributions as Board President. HOFA is fortunate that Damian will not be far away as he pursues the idea of becoming a certified organic retailer.

We hope to see you all next year as the momentum and strength of the organic movement continue to grow!

Vermicomposting is a hot topic--with county and solid waste officials, recycling and environmental groups, farm and agricultural folks and even "Joe Average," the typical homeowner. Here's the official classroom expertise: The term "vermicomposting" comes from the Latin "vermis" meaning worm and refers to the controlled degradation of organic matter, primarily by worm consumption.

In easy to understand language? Vermicomposting is worms eating your garbage, green waste and kitchen scraps and turning them into nutrient-rich, organic compost. Not only is it terrific for the environment by "recycling" green waste and kitchen scraps--it also saves energy, produces an excellent fertilizer, and reduces waste disposal costs. Perhaps the best news is that worm composting is incredibly easy to set up, maintain and operate. Worms are terrific, but why worm compost (or vermicompost, if we want to sound scholarly), especially if you already have a backyard compost system in place?

Let's look at the bigger picture. Currently, the Big Island buries about 440 tons of waste in it's landfills, daily. Over half of this amount could be composted and isn't. Food is a large part of that equation--a solid waste that burdens landfills, septic and sewer systems. More importantly, food and other "green" wastes are valuable organic resources! So, we compost. But here's why you should consider worm composting.

Agricultural studies have shown that plants grown with vermicompost (the end-product or castings from a worm bin) are stronger and healthier, require fewer (if any) chemical fertilizers, and are more pest and disease resistant. Like backyard compost, it is a wonderful soil amendment and natural plant "food." But it's real value lies in all the "extras"--the teeming microbial life found in vermicompost that helps stimulate plant growth and is superior to standard compost. Preliminary studies also show that many pathogens (including human disease pathogens) are destroyed as they pass through the worm, making vermicompost quite safe and effective for use on food crops.

In addition to less material entering the landfill, lower utility costs and a "greener" environment, vermicomposting has other benefits. It adds wonderful nutrients and microbes to the soil, improves the structure and aids in water retention. Composting with worms can be done with much smaller space requirements than backyard composting and in many different locations: indoors, outdoors, in garages, basements, etc. Many folks compost with worms right under their kitchen sink! There is little or no smell involved and because most bins are fully contained, pest issues…aren't.

Low maintenance is another key benefit, especially for farming. Vermicomposting is easy and relatively stress free because the worms do most the work. There is no tedious pile turning (or pitchfork work) involved, allowing precious labor hours to be used in other farming areas. Compost worms do not need to be monitored--their population is self-regulated according to food supply, frequency of feeding, and bin size.

In sum, vermicomposting is a valuable practice for the organic farmer--saving time, money, resources… and best, turning what was once a problem into a solution! It is different, but quite complementary to backyard composting. When used together, it's a WIN-WIN for both farmer and consumer. …malama ia Hawai'i, malama i ka honua nei! (…take care of Hawai'i, take care of the Earth!)

If you would like information or dates about upcoming worm composting workshops, please contact Hawai'i Rainbow Worms, a local Hilo-based worm composting company at (808) 959-7257.

~ Piper Selden is a writer living in Hilo. She is passionate about the environment and good organic produce.

Call me an organic purist, but I tend to equate chemical fertilizers with heroin. Sure, plants will be fine as long as they are getting a steady supply of calculated NPK—in fact, they will respond quite well. Several things bother me about this process, however. One, the fertilizer was made in some chemical manufacturing lab , and it is totally artificial. Two, I have a problem force-feeding any living thing. Three, a plant grown this way is like building a house with cardboard rather than bricks; the plants just don’t hold up in the long term if exposed to any stress.

When a plant is allowed to grow at a genetic rate (rather than a chemically calculated rate) it will have a stronger overall constitution. When you give your plants a natural, earth-made fertilizer it is like sitting down to dinner for the plant: If it is hungry, it will use what is available. If not, it won’t. Simple, gentle and sensible. Folks, I could pay my July electric bill if I had a dollar for every time someone has said to me, “Your plants look so healthy.” That’s because they are. Anyone can grow plants, but to grow sturdy, vigorous, vital plants takes a different frame of reference—it becomes a thing of beauty.

The following is a basic list of fertilizers and soil amendments that can be used in organic horticulture. It is not intended to be comprehensive; it is meant only to acquaint you with some of the most common products and how they are used. I will not even mention NPK numbers, as people depend too heavily on these when trying to decide on a product. Natural products such as these generally do not have high NPK numbers, but they offer a wealth of readily available nutrients to plants in a living soil.

Alfalfa Meal: Alfalfa is a perennial legume that is used as fodder for animals, green manure for crops, and when cut, dried and ground into meal, it makes a great soil amendment. Some of the many nutritional benefits alfalfa meal offers are nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, trace minerals, triacontanol (a growth stimulant), sugars, starches, and a bank of amino acids. It can be mixed directly into your soil or made into a “tea” and used as a soil drench or foliar spray. If you make the tea in warm weather, don’t let it sit for more than a couple days—the smell will knock your socks off.

Blood Meal: This is dried slaughter house blood. Very malodorous and rather expensive./ High in nitrogen. Probably better off in your garden than in your potting soil mix.

Bone Meal: Another by-product of the meat industry, bone meal comes from animal bones that have been pasteurized, dried, and ground into a powder. It is used as a calcium and phosphorous amendment, but also contains some nitrogen. You can mix it directly into your soil or dip seedling roots that need extra calcium into the meal before planting. Note: In an organic approach, both bone meal and blood meal should be used only if there is nothing else available that will provide the same benefits.

Calcium Sulfate: Gypsum, as it is commonly called, is a mined or industrial by-product material used to correct calcium deficiency (especially in alkaline soils) and to loosen up tight clay soils, allowing better drainage, which can release excess sodium if present.

Colloidal Phosphate: Often referred to as soft rock phosphate, this is mined, crushed phosphate that has been suspended in clay. A good long-term source of calcium and phosphorous. We dip our flowering-fruiting plug roots in the powder before planting.

Compost: Although many different organic substances are used to make compost, its fundamental nature is the same. The end product is the result of digestion of these substances by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.) and some macro-organisms such as earthworms. The process released nutrients from the original material and creates a soil conditioner rich in humus, humic acid, vitamins, minerals, and nitrogen. Final analysis of any compost depends on what original materials were used. Some commonly used are manure, cotton burr, vegetable and other plant waste (hay, grass, leaves, tree twigs/bark, etc.), mushrooms, rice hulls, paunch manure (cow stomach contents), and even the hulls of certain nuts. Compost can be worked into the soil, used as a mulch/top-dressing, or made into a “tea” and used as a soil drench or foliar spray.

Cotton Burr Compost: A by-product of the cotton industry, this is the wickedly sharp calyx of the cotton flower in which the boll rests. As with the seed meal (below), it is a good, slow release of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. I’m in love with the smell. I use the fine-screened product in my soil mix.

Cottonseed Meal: A by-product of cotton ginning, the seed is ground into a meal and used as a soil amendment. It is a slow-release of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium source. This is a good product, but due to the large number of chemicals used to grow cotton (pesticides, herbicides), one should be certain that the source of meal is organically grown cotton.

Earthworm Castings: Earthworm poop is finely digested organic matter. It has all the same benefits of compost, but in a more compact, easy-to-use form. This is a great addition to potting soil. Commercially available from small earthworm farms.

Fish Emulsion: A the name implies, this is an emulsified fish by-product in a concentrated form. When mixed with water it can be used as a soil drench or foliar spray. It is valued for its nitrogen, phosphorous, and trace minerals. When I first started using fish emulsion, I was not sure I was going to be able to get past the smell. I found that not only did I get used to it, but also that the odor was virtually gone by the next day. Most importantly, my plants love it.

Granite: This coarse-grained, light colored, hard igneous rock is often used by landscapers in crushed (gravel-like) form as mulch and in garden pathways. In organic horticulture the sand or meal is mixed with soil as a source of potassium and other trace minerals. It also has paramagnetic properties, which help other nutrients become more available to the roots. If possible, try to find partially decomposed granite.

Green Sand: Mined from ancient ocean beds, this silica-based material—officially called glauconite—is greenish-colored sand that is loaded with potassium. It is also loaded with iron and other elemental nutrients. Best if used in a soil that has good microbial activity.

Guano: This is aged, dried poop from bats and sea birds. Most of what you see commercially is bat guano, but some garden supply catalogs have droppings from birds that live on sea cliffs. They are all high in nitrogen, humus (a good soil builder), microorganisms, vitamins, and minerals. It is good stuff, but has a very strong urine-like odor. I would avoid top-dressing he soil of pots with it because it has an odd, almost greasy consistency when wet and just doesn’t seem to work its way down like compost. It is better worked into the soil ahead of time. It is a fine powder, so you should wear a mask when mixing it.

Lava Sand: Generally a combination of crushed volcanic rock, often including basalt. It can be used as a soil amendment for drainage, minerals, and paramagnetic properties.

Lime: This is a general term referring to the various white, powdery materials containing a substantial amount of calcium carbonate. Some brands also have a generous amount of magnesium, so before using as a garden soil amendment do a soil test and see what you really need. Often used to adjust an acid soil pH higher. Caution: do not buy lime intended for industrial use as it may have toxic heavy metals.

Manure: Any animal manure can be used as a nitrogen source in soil mixes as long as it has been well aged, pasteurized and /or composted. Some manures might be considered mild enough to use directly, but why take the chance? Different manures have varying levels of nitrogen. I would check out what the animals are being fed. If the manure is full of hormones, antibiotics or other chemicals, you will not want to grow plants in it. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling manure of any kind—better yet, wear gloves.

Molasses: This sweet, thick, black syrup is a by-product of the cane sugar industry. It comes in various grades, but the blackstrap grade retains the most nutritional components and is good for people as well as plants. Molasses can be added to foliar sprays or to soil drenches and adds iron, sulfur, potassium, and other trace elements as well as sugar to feed the beneficial microorganisms in the soil and on plant leaf surfaces. It can be used as a “sticker” instead of soap or oil when spraying botanicals for insect control.

Seaweed: This product is kelp that is ecologically harvested, dried and ground into a powder. It comes to you in either powder or liquid concentrate. Mixed with water, it can be used alone or with fish emulsion as a foliar spray or soil drench. This is the “black gold” of organic fertilizers. Packed with trace minerals and natural hormones, this product not only fortifies overall health, but also assists in the uptake of other nutrients.

Sulfur: This yellow powder is a natural mineral that binds with calcium in garden soil to bring alkaline pH soil down. Often called elemental sulfur of flower (flour) of sulfur.

At one time I was so bad about fertilizing my plants that it only happened “when I got around to it”. Now I fertilize every seven days (on average) during spring, summer, and early fall and about every 10 days to two weeks (depending on what I’m growing) during the winter, when growth is slow or dormant. Sometimes, if I am overwintering completely dormant plants, I don’t fertilize at all.

The mixture I use is fish emulsion and seaweed with a little molasses thrown in. When I first started growing I used compost tea, which the plants loved, but it was a lot of trouble. I felt like I was constantly making new batches, which I guess I was. I have to admit, it’s nice now to just open a bottle and mix it with water.

Reprinted with permission from Acres U.S.A. -- A Voice for Eco-Agriculture.

For information or a free sample copy, call toll-free 1-800-355-5313 or log on to www.acresusa.com

HOFA was founded as a farmer's representation. Farmers who wanted to make sure that the high standards of organic farming were upheld, got together and started this organization. Thus, giving organic farmers a voice in the state of Hawaii.

After it became more and more common to get certified, and especially in anticipation of the upcoming changes (USDA regulation), businesses in Hawaii were looking for ways to become certified organic. Due to the location of Hawaii, this was challenging to achieve.

By making HOFA an accredited certification agency, farmers, retailers, producers, and other businesses in Hawaii were able to contact a local certification agency.

Within a couple of years, over 100 businesses received certification through HOFA.

Unfortunately, by becoming an accredited certification agency, HOFA can no longer advise farmers during the certification process and represent farmers in the same way. Farmers were left alone with problems and questions, looking for support, that was not given.

This trade-off (local certification vs. local representation) has not been received well by some members of HOFA. Everybody involved acknowledges that this is a problem needing to be solved.

But how?

At this time, changing HOFA back from a certification agency to a farmers organization is not an option, due to the legal implications and liabilities involved. A separate group, organization, or division, similar to MAAA on Maui, could help solve this conflict. This group could do all those tasks that HOFA cannot do at this time, due to the conflict of interest.

Another option is the increased involvement of the HOFA trustees. Their invaluable knowledge and experience, both as former board members and as organic farmers, could be utilized much more than it has. These highly respected individuals are far more flexible and less restricted than the certification coordinator, the inspectors, or the board members.

Compared to the mainland organizations, HOFA is still very small. HOFA has come a long way in the last two years, growing steadily, educating the public, offering seminars, and increasing the office staff. If we all work together on this issue, I am sure that it will strengthen the organic movement in Hawaii, benefiting both the farmers as well as the consumer.

Mahalo for your understanding and support,

Franz Weber