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

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. We recently had the opportunity to help Trey secure funding to scale operations, complete food safety training, and improve the farm’s financial recordkeeping systems. Trey now works as a farmer full time and employs a handful of mahi ‘ai who help the farm produce and distribute microgreens to farmers markets, retailers, and restaurants on Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu, as well as to community feeding programs such as St. James Church’s weekly community meal in Waimea. For more information about our technical assistance offerings, contact Megan Blazak, rural and cooperative business development services manager. (Photo courtesy Olakino Hawai‘i)