Hawaii Organic Farmers Association

Our Quality Control Officer, Eileen O'Hora-Weir has resigned her position with HOFA. Eileen was a founding member of HOFA almost 10 years ago and has worked energetically and intelligently for our organization giving much of her time and efforts to advance Organic farming in the state of Hawaii.

We will miss her efficiency, knowledge and innovations. Her job was not a simple one. Eileen maintained an oversight of our operations and has worked closely with the Board of Directors and physically in our administrative office in Hilo. She was always in communication with our farm inspectors and evaluators. Eileen participated in all meetings and provided reports on all activities and recommended actions. She has been an invaluable asset.

The County of Hawaii is fortunate to have someone of Eileen's quality to run their recycle program. HOFA wishes Eileen a wonderful future even as we say a "Big Mahalo" for all the good she has brought to our organization. We will miss her.

Damian Paul- President

Organic Farmers Get Funding

Yes, it is finally true!

If you are a Hawaii organic producer or handler who received or continued your organic certification from a USDA accredited certifying agency between October 1, 2002 and September 30, 2004, you may apply for cost-share assistance. The defrayed cost of certification will cover 75% of certification fees up to $500.

The State Department of Agriculture has issued the reimbursement application which is available through the HOFA office or online at:

www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/qad-notice-to-organic.htm

Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, until the $70,000 allocated from the USDA has been depleted.

If you are interested in getting certified organic please contact the HOFA office Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday from 8am-4pm for an application packet. If you already have an application now is your time.

Retail Perspectives By Tom Berkley

Produce Manager Down To Earth Natural Foods, Maui

Why should we carry Certified Organic?

As the Produce Manager of Down to Earth Natural Foods, Maui, I carry 90+% of Certified Organic produce because I feel that the customers need to have the assurance that what they are buying is non-irradiated, contains no sewage sludge and is not from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). Buying Certified Organic is the only way to accomplish that.

I offer the assurance that my customers need by buying Certified Organic and selling Certified Organic. This covers us both and gives us the assurance that we are getting the cleanest produce that is available.

If you are committed to buying Certified Organic you are also committed to the seasonal pricing. With all that said, buying Certified Organic should be done by making a commitment to yourself, your children, the environment, as well as supporting the farmers that grow organically.

Next time you visit your natural foods store take time to ‘talk story’ with the produce manager or buyer and ask them how much Certified Organic produce they carry and what their commitment to Certified Organic is.

In closing, I would like to thank all the consumers who commit to buying Certified Organic produce here in Hawaii, who in turn, are supporting all of the local Certified Organic farms.

The Story of Meng Lee

“Hot Ginger Mama’s and the Year of the Ram”

Submitted by Dean Pinner

Meng: “I got your e-mail address and information about Pinner Creek Organics after doing a web search on ginger roots. I am writing to you because a good friend is seriously ill and a Chinese doctor suggested using the “old ginger mother root” to help her recovery.

As you may have heard, ginger roots have “hot temperament” according to Chinese herb medicine. And the original “mother root” is really hot with powerful curing effects. I understand that digging out the mother root is not a common practice on a farm and this ginger mother root is not available in the shop.

It is my best hope that you would consider to spare one or two to save my friends life. I’d be more than happy to purchase the medication for the price you ask. Thank you for considering this unusual request.”

Dean: “Your doctors wisdom and knowledge is great. The hottest of all “old ginger mothers” is found in the yellow variety, known as Japanese ginger. I will gladly send you some for your worthy cause. “

Once I received Meng’s address I had to scramble to find some nice old ginger mothers, re-trim them and make sure they had not been dipped in iodine!! I promptly sent Meng a 10 lb box of yellow ginger “mothers” and a large piece of turmeric for good luck just in case her sick friend had a liver condition.

Meng: “I received the box with lots of kind and loving energy. Thank you very much for the ten lbs of precious medicine which is much more than I could have dreamed of. And the orange ginger root is something I have never seen before.

My friend is getting slightly better under the care of her Chinese doctor. I believe your wonderful ginger root will be a great aid to boost her recovery and restore her health.”

Dean: I was very pleased to hear this and sent Meng some literature on turmeric benefits and was beginning to think how nice it is to have the fruits of your labor so deeply appreciated.

The following day, I received a beautiful hand-painted Oriental Thank you card with the following words.

Meng: “It’s beyond words that could express my gratitude. My friend Hui is now drinking the magic ginger root tea. I pray for her recovery with the most beautiful and powerful karmic energy. 2003 is the year of the Ram. May the pair of green rams bring you joy and wellness.”

Dean: As I opened the red packet out tumbled two green rams. One green ram was an exquisite origami $50 bill and the other one a $20 bill but the thought and the love that came with it was HUGE!

I immediately decided to leave the Rams “in form” to help bring peace and health in 2003! Truly it is customers like this that lighten the burden of the many agricultural tasks at hand.

Leilehua students reap benefits of farm project

By: Catherine E. Toth
This article was used with permission from the Honolulu Advertiser

WAHIAWA — Hidden behind Leilehua High School, beyond California Avenue's strip malls and gridlock, away from customized Civics and fast-food drive-throughs, lies a farm. More than three acres of sweet country corn and hearty green beans, chickens and ducks, beehives, a greenhouse and a turkey named Togo thrive: This is Leilehua's Agriculture Learning Center, in operation since 1948.

More than 100 students take agriculture classes there every year, learning scientific names for plants and tending the rows of vegetables at the farm. They fully engage in farm life: feeding chickens, driving tractors, extracting honey from hives. But this year the agricultural program has adopted "Food: Just Grow It!" — a state-financed agricultural project that promotes health and wellness among high-school students.

The project-based learning program, run by the Cooperative Extension Services of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawai'i, brings together organic farming and healthful cooking as a way to teach students the benefits of physical activity, nutrition and concerns for the environment. The project wraps up its first year on Saturday with presentations from students and teachers to UH and state officials on what they've learned.

The state Department of Health is using part of the Tobacco Settlement Fund to finance "Food: Just Grow It!" which will receive $200,000 over three years. The project started as a solution to the state's obesity epidemic. More than 26 percent of students in Hawai'i are obese, nearly twice the national average of 13 percent to 14 percent, according to a study released in March 2002.

"We want to get them moving, get them physically active," said Barbara Yamashita, Health Department Community Health Division chief. The Health Department took action when the state Department of Education debated reducing the physical education requirement for high schoolers from one credit to half a credit in November. The idea was rejected, but since then various community groups and hospitals have started looking at alternative ways to get kids motivated to move.

"The DOE has been struggling with improving test scores and we've been very respectful of that," Yamashita said. "All we're asking is not to lose sight of the health of the child. They need to take care of the body that houses the brain."

Six high schools; Leilehua, Wai'anae, Kaua'i, Waimea, Konawaena and Kealakehe, are participating in the project. Students have to organically grow seven herbs and vegetables; sweet basil, soy beans, green onion, tomatoes, mustard cabbage, wing beans and ganduri beans, then use them to create healthy dishes.

About 100 students in agriculture, culinary arts and science classes at Leilehua High participate in the project. What they learn in the classroom about photosynthesis and soil composition they apply to their work on the farm.

“The focus (in schools) has been so academic, which is sad because kids have to learn about their environment," said David Fuentes, resource teacher for career technology education at UH-West O'ahu. "But this is real. This brings it all together, puts it in context." Russell Wong has been teaching agriculture at Leilehua High for 22 years. But even for him, the project has been a learning experience. "The things we're so used to, we couldn't do," Wong said.

They couldn't just toss fertilizer on yellowing plants; they had to use compost. They couldn't just spray aphids and spider mites with herbicide; they had to find organic alternatives. "You've got to find out how to do it," Wong said. "I learned a lot ... And everything I've learned, I've just added to the program."

Students in the culinary arts program had to research the seven different herbs and vegetables, finding healthful ways to prepare and cook them. In addition, they're learning about the importance of good nutrition. Last month, the students prepared the dishes they created using the produce from the farm for school faculty and staff, who were impressed by how much the students have learned since October.

"It's a challenge for them," said Jackie Nakamura, food science and culinary arts teacher. "But our kids are becoming more aware of the foods they're eating. Looking at fat content and nutritional values will make them, in the future, better consumers." But more than that, the students, through the project, are learning valuable life lessons, from effective communication to critical thinking, skills they can apply to any class, to any career.

"I've learned how to grow plants, but I've also learned about leadership and communication," said Blaze Paracuelles, 14, a Leilehua freshman who takes agriculture as a seventh-period elective. "It's been rewarding, definitely."

From the President: Damian Paul

HOFA has come a long way in the last ten years. We have the only Hawaii based federally accredited certification program. We currently have 92 certified producers and more than 65 applications requested. HOFA has definitely made an impact on agriculture in the state.

With more information coming out lately comparing the nutritional value of organic produce to conventionally grown crops we know consumers are getting significantly more vitamins, minerals and trace minerals for their dollar. What a great job all of our certified organic farmers are doing by helping people meet the nutritional requirements our bodies demand.

Sometimes we don't see the forest because of the trees in front of us but HOFA is playing an incredible role in helping people get healthy by eating organic food.

We forget that we have to take supplements to make up for the deficiencies in our food supply. Even the American Medical Association came out last year and recommended that everyone take a multi-vitamin mineral supplement everyday. Let's start working forward from the cradle instead of backwards from the grave with good organic food.

Our administrative office in Hilo is fortunate to have conscientious people like Bari Green and Kelly Lange. They handle most of the day to day operations efficiently. We have a new Quality Control Officer, Claudia Woodward-Rice and the Board would like to welcome her as part of the HOFA administrative staff. Claudia has worked with HOFA’s accounting necessities for the last 3+ years.

Tell your family and friends about HOFA and encourage them to be supportive by becoming active members. We collectively do make a difference!

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Hawaii Organic Farmers Association (HOFA)
P.O. Box 6863, Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 969-7789 Toll Free: (877) 674-4632 Fax: (808) 969-7759
Email: hofa@hawaiiorganicfarmers.org
Copyright 2002