Ask anyone who lives in Hawai`i, “What if the barges stopped coming?” and you will get some variation of: “Well, we’d be screwed”. Why? Because Hawai`i currently imports 90% of its food and generates 70% of its electricity through imported oil. You don’t have to be an economist to know that this is a disaster waiting to happen...
What steps can we take to make the future of Hawai`i a prosperous one, and what is Kaunamano Farm doing to help?
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Is this how we, as a nation, want to live? So desperately dependent on other regions’ products that we couldn’t even survive without them?
Hawai`i’s emphasis on industry and the rapid growth of tourism has left us bound in our own chains.
The Problem With the Solution
Now that we know what the problems are, we have two options: complain or fix them. Here at Kaunamano Farm, we choose the latter.
There are many different solutions for the vast number of problems that will eventually need to be addressed in helping rebuild Hawai`i’s local food production and energy resiliency, but here at the Farm we choose to focus on one in particular: make farming lucrative again.
Who can blame a child growing up in Hawai`i today for wishing not to become a farmer? It consists of grueling manual labor, unpredictable harvests, and, today especially, little financial reward. Compare this to the promised first-world thrill and distractions of lawyering or managing a hotel, and where students go is no surprise. The population of farmers is aging, and without an excited, younger workforce there to replace them, we could easily witness the disintegration of farming entirely.
To fix this, farming must be made an attractive option for younger generations. It must, at its core, guarantee a fruitful and fulfilling life, despite its harsh physical requirements or unpredictability.
The future of Hawai`i depends on it.
What Can We Do?
There is a reason for Hawai`i’s campaigns encouraging individuals to “Eat Local”. Supporting the Islands’ agricultural system is the most direct way to put money into our farmers’ pockets and allow them to continue doing their crucial job while supporting their families. Selling their products is the only way they get paid, and to sell them, they need buyers!
We understand that local foods are more expensive than many imported foods. We understand many of you may be on a budget, and that food is already one of your largest expenses. We would never ask you to bankrupt yourselves in your attempt to help rebuild Hawai`i’s food resiliency, and if you are someone who needs to keep costs low, then there are other ways to show your support.
However, if you are fortunate enough to have the choice as to what to buy, and were previously unconvinced that spending more for local food was worth it, we hope that you now see things differently. Buying locally does not simply buy you high-quality food, it contributes to rebuilding the system that provided the foundation for the entire nation of Hawai`i and everything it stands for. It is a crucial part of our existence, past and future, and deserves the support of every individual that chooses to live on these Islands.
If you do choose to contribute to rebuilding this necessary system and Eat With Impact, we hope you do so through Kaunamano Farm. Here at Kaunamano, we source directly from suppliers all over the Islands, in addition to producing various pork products ourselves at our own farm on the Big Island. Choose from our pre-made boxes or craft your own from our A La Carte selection, and get them delivered to your doorstep anywhere in Hawai`i!
Whatever you do, we hope that you have a renewed appreciation for buying locally, and that you will choose to Eat With Impact any chance you have.
Mahalo for learning with us throughout this newsletter, and we hope to be packing up a box with your name on it soon!
Mahalo Nui Loa,
- Kaunamano Farm
The introduction of guns, germs and sugar, in addition to increasing political complications arising from a growing global presence, marked the beginning of a new phase of Hawaiian history, accompanied by the deterioration of the effective and optimized ahupua`a system...
]]>Welcome back to Hawai`i's Roots. Last episode we covered the origins of the Native Hawaiian people and the ingenious ahupua`a system that sustained them for over one thousand years. In this next edition of the history of Hawai`i and its agriculture, we take a look at the period between 1778 and the present day. The introduction of guns, germs and sugar, in addition to increasing political complications arising from a growing global presence, marked the beginning of a new phase of Hawaiian history, accompanied by the deterioration of the effective and optimized ahupua`a system.
The Mark of a New Era
Shortly after Captain James Cook’s arrival in 1778, Hawai`i was placed on the world map, and began conducting business and dealing with issues the islands had never faced before. Trade with other nations began in 1805 with the historic sandalwood industry. While economically prosperous, the Hawaiian population experienced periods of famine throughout the newly-formed industry’s dominance due to the reassignment of resources from agriculture to trade. The over-harvesting of trees quickly led to the exhaustion of sandalwood resources, and this new industry faded away completely by the 1840s.
In addition to the sandalwood industry, the discovery of whaling grounds off the coasts of Japan and Peru led Hawai`i to become a crucial port for whaling ships, with the first ship arriving in 1820. By the late 1820s, over 150 were stopping annually at the Islands. However, this too faded away with the rise of oil in the mid-1800s, and mostly disappeared by the 1870s.
Hawai`i Sugar Cane Plantation
The Industrial Magnet and Population Problems
While other industries failed, one managed to stay around for much longer: sugar. Ladd and Co. started the first sugar plantation on Kaua`i in 1835 and experienced moderate growth through to the 1850s. Up until 1876, high tariffs limited the industry’s expansion. But with the introduction of the 1876 reciprocity treaty, which allowed duty-free sales of Hawai`i goods into the U.S., exports suddenly became more affordable.
Sugar exports grew from 21 million pounds in 1876 to 225 million pounds in 1890, and this growth increased demand for overseas contract laborers, with plantation employment rising from 3,921 in 1872 to 20,536 in 1892. This number only rose as the United States annexed Hawai`i in 1900, marking the beginning of a flood of immigrants from all over the world. Sugar production continued to skyrocket, from 289,500 tons in 1900 to 939,300 tons in 1930. Pineapple production grew also, from 2,000 cases in 1903 to 12,808,000 in 1931.
While population growth was high in terms of total population, Native Hawaiian population saw massive decline. Native Hawaiian population estimates in 1778 range from 110,000 to 1,000,000, but by 1900, hit the lowest level on record of 39,656.
Hawai`i certainly did not escape the effects of the Great Depression and following World War II, either. The depression crushed industrial output as global demand lowered, raising the unemployment rate on the islands to around 25%. While increased personnel levels at Pearl Harbor increased demand for retail, restaurant, and other consumer services, this demand left shortly after the War’s end as soldiers returned to the U.S. mainland. Newly-formed labor unions and the following strikes disrupted the production of sugar and pineapple in 1950, and Hawai`i’s economy began the final phase of its transition from agriculture to its current economy: tourism.
Hawai`i Tourism Explodes
The New Economy
The introduction of propeller-driven commercial service in 1946 and then commercial jet service in 1959 put Hawai`i on the map for many individuals, building the newly-made state’s tourism economy for many decades, landing us where we are today. While Hawai`i has certainly benefited from becoming a much-loved travel destination, this economic growth has not come without a price for both the island and its residents.
In the next and final episode of Hawai`i's Roots, we will take a look at the current state of Hawaiian agricultural and learn how we can each do our part to support the foundation of these Islands’ existence: Food and people. You can find this episode here.
Mahalo Nui Loa,
- Kaunamano Farm
When Polynesian settlers first set their eyes upon the Hawaiians Islands 1700 years ago, one can only imagine the thoughts that raced through their minds. No doubt they marveled at the majestic beauty of the island’s coastlines and mountains, stunned that they had come across such islands in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles away from the nearest landmass. As they explored the islands, however, another question likely came creeping in: “How are we going to survive?”
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Before we can build this future, however, it is crucial we understand where we came from and learn from those who came before us. To do this, we have composed a three-part, introductory newsletter called Hawai`i's Roots, with each letter covering a different period of time in Hawai`i’s agricultural history. It is with this introduction that we hope you will be better prepared to make a difference in Hawai`i's agriculture, and you will understand why making that difference is crucial for the future of our communities.
Today, we start from the beginning.
When Polynesian settlers first set their eyes upon the Hawaiians Islands 1700 years ago, one can only imagine the thoughts that raced through their minds. No doubt they marveled at the majestic beauty of the island’s coastlines and mountains, stunned that they had come across such islands in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles away from the nearest landmass. As they explored the islands, however, another question likely came creeping in: “How are we going to survive?” The settlers knew that whomever decided to stay on the islands would need to devise a method of self-sufficiency unique to the island’s geography and isolation. While most of Earth’s people at the time had vast expanses of land and animals to choose from, the Polynesians were extremely limited, and therefore had no choice but to be both creative and provident. The result? The ahupua`a system (shown below).
The ahupua`a system consisted of dividing the mokupuni (islands) into moku (wedges of land) stretching from mountaintops down to the coastline. These moku were further split into ahupua`a (smaller wedges) and ruled by an ali`i, or chief. Each ahupua`a provided everything the native Hawaiians needed to survive, whether it be fish from the sea, fertile soil to plant taro, or koa and other trees to craft into buildings, canoes, and tools. To ensure proper stewardship of these lands, konohiki (overseers) were assigned to watch over the moku’s operations and retrieve weekly and yearly taxes from the land’s inhabitants for the ali`i.
Over time, this stewardship was formalized through the kapu system, which placed restrictions such as limited fishing in certain locations and the gathering and replacing of plants. The system’s division of labor effectively produced enough to sustain entire communities of Hawaiian people for generations, and simultaneously allowed for a relatively high quality of life. In their spare time, Hawaiians devoted themselves to arts and crafts, competitive sport, martial arts, and dance and chant, creating many rich traditions that continue to thrive today.
Over the course of its existence, the ahupua`a system was refined and optimized, providing the core foundation for the Hawaiian people to prosper as a developing nation for over a thousand years. Many things contributed to the system’s success, but one component is impossible to overlook: symbiosis. Ancient Hawaiians understood that each and every element of their ecosystem was interconnected. How much was taken from the forest influenced how much food could be grown, and vice versa. The land affected the sea, and the sea the land. It was only with respect for this fact that proper stewardship could ensue.
As Hawai`i became more globally connected, it became more and more difficult to maintain this symbiosis, and Hawai`i entered a transformative time for both the land and its people. This is what we cover in the next episode of Hawai`i's Roots, found here.
Mahalo for Eating With Impact,
- Kaunamano Farm
]]>While there are many differences in opinion regarding essential businesses, various interpretations of current events, and divided beliefs regarding the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic, we can all, as a global community, agree that food is essential to life, regardless of the circumstance. Food and water always have and always will be essential to human survival. And in Hawai`i, it is not just food, but food sovereignty that is essential. Whether or not they’ve ever taken the question seriously, anyone living in Hawai`i is familiar with the phrase, ‘What if the barges stop coming?’ As stated on our Hawai`i government website (emphasis mine):
“Hawai`i is located approximately 2,506 miles from the continental United States. About 85-90% of Hawai`i’s food is imported which makes it particularly vulnerable to natural disasters and global events that might disrupt shipping and the food supply.”
That global event has arrived and it’s called Covid-19. It is undeniable that the actions we take today are essential to ensuring a healthy Hawai`i both now and in the future. One perspective is to see the situation as a problem, be fearful, etc. Another, and the perspective that Brandon Lee and team have taken, is to see it as an opportunity to get our priorities straight.
Brandon Lee, alongside his brother-in-law Keoni Regidor, is the co-owner and co-founder of Napua Restaurant on the Kohala Coast of Hawai`i. Six years ago, disgusted by the above statistics, Brandon started a farm to support the needs of the restaurant, becoming one of many Big Island restaurants to pioneer the ‘farm-to-table’ movement. When the state closure took place, Napua could have stayed open due to falling under the umbrella of ‘essential’, but to Brandon, making to-go orders for part-time residents was not nearly as necessary as getting local products to Island families and integrating his restaurant staff into the farm project.
The majority of the Front of House staff is gathered under the shade of the banana stalks, alongside a freshly planted Kalo patch this past Monday. This was their second group project, the first being transplanting rows of said banana keikis the week prior. They are two weeks into farm work, and Brandon says, with a tone that is a mixture of pride and surprise, ‘I didn’t think you guys would keep showing up to the farm, but you’re here, and what we are doing...I’m pretty sure this is a movement.’ The group is sitting next to mounds of freshly harvested Kalo, and Brandon himself is sitting on a bucket filled to the brim. Everyone takes taro home, and while digging the new rows, setting the lines, and planting the huli (baby stems), the staff discusses how they’d cooked the luau leaf they’d gathered the Friday before, and what they’d made with the eggplant and kale they’d collected. Most importantly, they were discussing who they’d shared the food with, and how delicious their lau laus had turned out.
This is the same team putting together the Farm boxes that Brandon and Keoni have been creating for the last few weeks after it became apparent that whatever is going on with Covid-19 is going to last awhile, and that they needed to adapt quickly. This team, with Brandon and Keoni at the helm, went from serving primarily tourists, to serving the community of Hawai`i all-Hawai`i products. Brandon had always had this vision, but with the daily operations of the farm, he hadn’t had the time or context to make it a priority, and neither had his staff. And while no one knows what things might look like in a couple of months, one thing is certain: in Hawai`i, food sovereignty is essential, and it has rapidly become apparent that it’s time to get our priorities straight as an isolated archipelago in the middle of the Pacific.
Mahalo for Eating with Impact, we look forward to sharing this journey with you, from our farm, to your Hale.
-Noelani Anderson
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