Hawaiian people today is a 250page book that profiles living hawaiians and their modern practice and perpetuation of the hawaiian culture. Taro is a plant with a broad, beautiful, nutritious strong leaf shaped like a huge heart. In its heyday, taro was grown on roughly 35,000 acres across the hawaiian islands. Cultivation of taro, the staple crop from which poi is made, declined precipitously in hawaii over the last century. Farming hawaiians lived surrounded by ocean and voyaging played a pivotal role in their history and everyday life, but the bedrock of hawaiian society was the traditions and work of farmers.
The most common species used as a food source is colocasia esculenta. As mentioned, taro is tropical to subtropical, but if you dont live in such a climate usda zones 1011, you can try growing taro in a greenhouse. Hawaiian planters cultivated approximately 300 varieties of taro in ancient times, most of them distinguished by colors in different parts of the leaf and adapted to specific growing conditions and locales. Growing edible taro in the garden tips on harvesting. Two examples john charlot hawaiian culture was largely based on agriculture, an important part of which was taro farming. Through this separate food venture, hanaleigrown taro is sold at lunch wagons, farmers markets across the islands and in stores including pono market, danis restaurant, times supermarket and. But if the recent interest in taro farming is any indication, those numbers may soon rise again.
Pages public figure producer quazifilms hawaii videos organic taro farming with charlie reppun and paul reppun. The primary product made from taro and a staple in the hawaiian diet is poi, which is made from the underground plant stem of that taro plant, while the taro leaves are used to prepare lau lau explore more taro recipes or read more about taro farming on the big island. Among the four types of forest, the swamp forest is used for growing taro. Taro farming is arduous enough, but in addition, the lowlying fields are exposed to hurricanes and flash floods. Unlike the leaves of alocasia which point skyward, the leaves of colocasia droop and point toward. Taro needs water to grow, whether in wetland or dryland systems. The main subsistence crops are banana, breadfruit, citrus fruit, coconut, and taro. Jack wolford in the rural district of waialua on oahus north shore sits the loi kalo taro patch na mea kupono, fed by springwater and tended by the garridobolosan family for decades. Whether grown wet or dry, taro takes roughly 200 days to mature. Make a play date with a dolphin at dolphin quest hawaii. The chocolate tasting was great the chocolate from hawaii was our favorite, although they were all amazing and we loved the white pineapple smoothies.
Today, however, taro production covers less than than 350 acres. Through funding from the sea grant college at the university of hawai. Its called upland taro and you need water to grow it. The report contains a critical section called concepts of importance, which includes definitions of taro security and purity, descriptions of the taro farmer life style, the importance of taro to hawaiis identity, taro as a centerpiece of hawaiian culture, its role in agriculture, and. Renewed interest began with the hawaiian renaissance of the 1970s, but progress was slow until the 1990s, when a statewide network dedicated to taro patch restoration was created. Hawaiis biggest taro farm, the 50acre haraguchi farm on kauai, is helping the state produce the largest taro crops in more than 20 years. Subsistence farming and banana production are the main agricultural enterprises. Maui lehua 70% 15% moi 7% others 8% distribution of taro for poi harvested acreage by variety state of hawaii, 2001 poi taro farmers prefer maui lehua variety results from a hawaii agricultural statistics service survey revealed that maui lehua was the most popular variety for poi taro growers. Located on a taro farm within a national wildlife refuge in lush hanalei, this guided tour includes visiting the states only remaining rice mill dating back to the 1800s. Commercial taro fields in hawaii, are heavily fertilized compared to traditional practices in other pacific islands or in africa. Teves, county extension agent, uh ctahr cooperative extension service. Molokai is blessed with many hawaiian taro varieties, in part due to the vision of the late martha and cowboy otsuka in seeking out and preserving these legacies. Primarily grown for its spectacular foliage, colocasia esculenta blue hawaii taro is a tuberous, frosttender perennial with longstalked, heartshaped, fresh green leaves. This website gives you the opportunity to learn more about the book and the people it profiles.
Discover the areas agricultural and cultural heritage through interactive activities, and then enjoy a farmfresh lunch and refreshments. Zach nathan shows us some of the joys of farming in hawaii and plants taro with danya, walker, and kerri. Before you begin on your adventure, you will meet our guides in historical honokaa town. Taro production, at its peak, is estimated to have covered 35,000 acres on the hawaiian islands. The last flood, in november, 2009, almost wiped out the farm.
In high rainfall areas apply a total of 2000 lbs of 23036 fertilizer per acre divided in six equal doses beginning at planting, and the rest at five monthly intervals. About usharaguchi farms is a family farm who has been growing taro and other crops on kauai for over six generations. During the early 1900s, many people from okinawa and western japan would immigrate to hawaii in hopes of creating a lifestyle as immigrant laborers. Hawaiian kalo, past and future university of hawaii. Thats appropriate, because farming was even tougher in the old days than it is now, and farmers had to work very hard just to survive. Their goal was to work hard and return to home with honor.
University of hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources, cooperative extension service molokai you cannot grow taro on dry land. Crossing the one lane bridge into hanalei, youll see the familys taro fields reaching for the distant mountains. According to patrick kirchs 1985 book, feathered gods and fishhooks, taro was brought to hawaii in the canoes of the first inhabitants from the indomalaysianregion. The hawaiian name for farmer is mahiai, meaning food cultivator and also strong, energetic. Current estimates indicate the number has fallen to less than 350 acres statewidea tiny amount compared to the estimated 16,000 acres of macadamias and 7,000 pounds of coffee grown in hawaii last year. Mana ai honors those cultural practices by supporting farmers who adhere to the ancient traditions and respect for the land. Hawaiians grew both wet and dryland varieties, depending on a districts. Hanalei taro provides unique family recipes that customers, as well as tour guests, can enjoy. According to patrick kirchs 1985 book, feathered gods and fishhooks, taro was brought to hawaii in the. This collection of essays by celebrated authors, researchers, lawyers, farmers and community activists covers the big picture. Taro, once a staple of the hawaiian diet, and still an integral part of the culture, is surprisingly not native to hawaii. Using a taro patch in hawaii, this couple teaches the. If you love good food, appreciate micro and organic farming, and are particular about the quality of ingredients that you put in your body, youre.
Oiwi, a native hawaiian nonprofit organization, working to restore lo. Taro is the staple of the native hawaiian diet and at the core of the hawaiian culture. It was built by the chinese and purchased by the haraguchi family in 1924. Visiting here includes accessing privately owned land and learning about the islands agricultural and cultural history. It includes a taxonomic key based on vegetative characteristics and descriptions of the varieties as well as all information that was available on origin, distribution, and use. Kids learn what goes into planting and harvesting taro and the hawaiian names of various farm animals. Monthly taro millings state of hawaii, 200102 hawaii taro trends farm prices farm prices for poi taro have shown an average growth rate of 1. Next to the hanalei river and with average rainfall of over 60 inches a year, conditions are ideal for taro. Taro colocasia esculenta, kalo in hawaiian has always been an important food crop for the hawaiian people and has a special place within the culture of hawaii. Hawaii taro farmers are finding a way to make traditional farming techniques and practices relevant and even important to environmental sustainability at a time when handwringing over gmo crops in hawaii has reached a fever pitch. In the heart of the verdant hanalei valley, tour a working taro farm and a historic rice mill. Taro was the most important of all food sources in hawaii, being the equivalent of wheat in europe and rice in china.
Lyndseys mother had to be rescued from the farmhouse by zodiac boat, and the family had to redo all its loi and replace much equipment. It is listed on the national historic register of historic places and dates back to the 1800s. Held on semiglossy, dark burgundy stems, the large, undulating leaves are adorned with bluishpurple edges and veins. Taro, like sweet potato, banana, breadfruit and sugarcane was an important food to the ancient hawaiians. Read more read less explore our editors picks for the best kids books of the month. In fact, taro is considered by the hawaiian people to be the progenitor of their ancestors. Hawaii seed is publishing a second edition of its book facing hawaiis future. A story on hawaiian taro farming grows into much more. Quazifilms hawaii organic taro farming with charlie. Thomas taro higa was born on september 22, 1916 in honolulu, hawaii to immigrant parents kana and kamezo higa. Most will be familiar with poi, the purplish paste that for some is an acquired taste. From there, polynesians brought taro to these islands. Instead, it is thought to have originated in southern india, before migrating east to china and as far south as new zealand. Big list of farm tours on the island of hawaii coffee.
Growing taro for food is considered a staple crop for many countries, but most especially in asia. A story on hawaiian taro farming grows into much more the vegetable is central and sacred to native hawaiian culture, and my reporting quickly made clear that writing about taro meant writing. Old makana had a taro farm won a 2008 bronze moonbeam childrens book award from the independent publishers association. Hanalei taro tour a journey into kauai familys farming. Most of the taro is planted in the swamp area, and very few farmers grow taro on dry land. The book follows the life of a native hawaiian farmer named makana and all of the animals on his farm. Taro, called kalo in hawaiian, is central to the native hawaiian creation story.