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Food-related start-ups could win use of commercial space in annual competition

December 6, 2021 in /by

December 6, 2021 (Pacific Business News)—A business plan competition for food entrepreneurs will offer winners the chance to utilize up to 2,500 square feet of commercial space.

Kamehameha Schools announced Monday that its annual Mahiai Match-Up competition, which it runs in partnership with the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and The Kohala Center, will include the commercial space as a prize for the first time in the event’s eight years.

Olakino: A commitment to the health and vitality of the body

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—Trey Yoshizumi started Olakino Hawai‘i in 2020 as a beginning farmer with a mission to provide fresh microgreens and vegetables to Hawai‘i communities. A practitioner of aloha ‘āina and a successful young mahi ‘ai, Trey carefully tends to his pea tendrils, sunflower sprouts, and root veggies as they grow naturally in Waimea’s fertile soil. […]

Old Brooks: A new tomato variety adapted for Hawai‘i

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—Meet “Old Brooks,” a large slicing tomato that offers a tangy and complex flavor perfect for burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, and sauces! This prolific, indeterminate heirloom tomato is grown and its seeds harvested at Nāmoku, our demonstration farm in Honoka‘a. Old Brooks thrives in Hāmākua’s demanding growing conditions, holding up against blossom end rot, […]

Lā Kalo: Strengthening pilina with Hāloa

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—Three generations—kūpuna, mākua, and kamali‘i—from numerous ‘ohana across nā moku (all districts of Hawai‘i Island) recently came together for a day at Nāmoku to mālama Hāloa. Following COVID-19 safety protocols, guests helped to harvest and clean all 183 varieties of kalo in our collection. We harvested more than 1,200 pounds of i‘o (taro corm) […]

Seeing the light: The power of culturally conscious cooperatives

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—Designed as a place-based framework of desired learning outcomes for the Hawai‘i Department of Education, Nā Hopena A‘o, or HĀ, can also guide Hawai‘i-based businesses in deepening pilina with their place and local communities. To us, Ho‘āhu Energy Cooperative Molokai was a perfect place to introduce the HĀ framework. They serve Molokai’s renewable energy […]

Care in every cup: Drink 100% Kona coffee, support The Kohala Center

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—In celebration of #GivingTuesday, we are humbled to announce that Kona Earth has selected The Kohala Center as its nonprofit partner. New owners Joanie and Steve Wynn believe in giving back to the community that sustains them and wanted to support a local organization working to protect and heal Hawai‘i Island’s ecosystems. Through their recently […]

Native plants propagated in ahupua‘a ‘o Kawaihae

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—As part of our ongoing forest regeneration efforts, we set intentions for the ahupua‘a of Kawaihae to grow its own native forest plants. Earlier this fall, the first “home grown” koaiʻa, ʻaʻaliʻi, ʻilima, and ʻāweoweo raised in our new greenhouse in Kawaihae were recently outplanted, returning home to Kawaihae. Our efforts to grow native […]

Windward Kohala native forest fenced and protected

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—Nearly 600 acres of native cloud forest on the upper slopes of windward Kohala Mountain are now completely fenced, protecting this high-yield watershed from one of its greatest threats: feral pigs. Over the past several years, in collaboration with Kohala Watershed Partnership partner and private landowner Laupāhoehoe Nui LLC, we built a perimeter fence […]

Niuli‘i update

November 30, 2021 in /by

November 2021—We are grateful for the mo‘olelo and ideas shared by the kupaʻāina of Niuliʻi as important guides for future hana to preserve the pūhala (hala trees) and surrounding ‘āina entrusted to us by the community. Spending time in the ancient ulu hala (hala grove) to clear invasive weeds and lauhala (hala leaves) buildup around […]