Another busy tour! Today’s group was very nice; with the Tomakin family little girls who were so excited to pick carrots- their youthful enthusiasm rubbing off on the group. Courtney from the Upcountry Sustainability Group brought along her visiting father, and long time resident Melissa McCoy of McCoy travel came with her friend Susan. Lovely ambiance today: some information sharing, some family time, lively conversation, wine, and a lot of good old fashioned fun. Oh, there were more employees; this time Mary (Pacifico) and Ania (Io) were in attendance.

Maxed out tour of 27. These big groups can be a handful- today’s was no exception. Three ladies needed shuttling up and down. Two parties arrived way late, and the group fragmented going off nilly willy. That’s ok though, as it seems more and more people are just happy to be here and to commune at the “absolute best table on Maui”. The educational aspect of the tour will always be there for those who want it. We had new Pacifico employees Tanya, Lyndsay, and Hanna. Lyndsay even helped shuttle up a couple of guests. Plus, the girls showed well for the company and made an impression that I think enticed everyone to go down and check out the restaurants.

July roundup

The Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicated conditions are favorable for another El Nino cycle (which occurs every 3 to 5 years) and ongoing drought conditions. The Maui Department of Water Supply has recently declared a drought watch where residents and businesses are asked to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 5 percent. A drought warning would require a mandatory cut of 10 percent.

PESTS/DISEASE
Fortunately there is not much to report on this front- we have tuned in to the local population of insects and have learned to control them with expert timing of mild interventions that encourage beneficial (predatory) insects and discourage the pests. Or, if the pests are too much of a problem, we don’t grow anything they like. Lucky for us, the dry conditions inhibit our main issue: mold and mildew.

OTHER CHALLENGES
Keeping up with all the landscaping, especially during the summer. The amount of labor required doing this doubles during summer months.

The dry conditions are challenging to young seed beds.

SUCCESSES
Production is on a roll and at an all time high.

We have been very resourceful with an imperfect irrigation system during these trying (dry) times.

The home lawn mowers cant handle the farm terroir- its too rough on them. The $20 yard sale mower leaks oil and has poor compression; the red mower’s blade flew off and is going to the shop, leaving only the yellow one which is taking a beating.

Liked the format today in which guests were invited directly to the picnic grounds and one long gathering tour followed. This actually saved time. Today’s crowd was all couples, a nice mix, including return guest Keith Rubenson and wife as well as kamaaina Annel Kanekoa. Juan and Amy from L.A. made me nostalgic, and Juan was very kind and generous with the libations. Got a nice comment from a mother daughter pair about how educational the tour was. Very nice crowd today!

Big group of 22 that was dominated by two large families. The elderly required transportation to and fro, and the teenagers and little girl ran wild in the gardens and helped themselves to everything. When the group first arrived in the picnic grounds for pastries and cider, they all sat down at the picnic table and were expecting lunch to be served right then and there! Chef Sean had to encourage them to get out for the rest of the tour. There was very little order and cohesion to today’s tour- it was a free for all.

Upcountry Sustainability

in keeping with its core values of health, local conservation, and education, O'o Farm was the anchor host for the upcountry sustainability group's inaugural farm tour series on saturday july 18. modeled after the south maui sustainability group, upcountry sustainability group is a volunteer community outreach group that seeks to share information and awareness in all topics related to sustainability.
a charter group of 21 members enjoyed a brown bag lunch and free farm tour conducted by oo farm manager richard clark. members were there to learn and share information regarding organic and biodynamic farming.

We were the anchor host today to the new Upcountry Sustainability Group’s inaugural farm tour series. 21 members (all upcountry residents) toured three farms today culminating in a brown bag lunch and farm tour at O’o. We met locals who share a passionate in all sustainable related topics. Ashlie McLean is involved with the Haliimaile Community Gardens and is focused on local organic foods as well as establishing a “Slow Food” chapter on Maui. Health “guide-ess” Laurel white offers retreats oriented to well being and health. Filming and interviewing took place for the groups web page and possibly Akaku T.V.

This was a large cumbersome group -typical of all groups this size, they broke up into factions, so not everyone got the full experience. In addition there were a lot of photographs being taken-lots of pictures were being taken of the kitchen facility. There was a friend of Chef James, and he wanted to know as much as possible about farming so he could apply it at his place on Omaopio. We did manage to create some engaging and informative discourse about matters from soil fertility and health foods with the likes of culinary artist and return guest Ann Marie Burtell.

Fun little group of 15 today that included return guests Francisco Montes; a local Kula land owner who raises chickens and has started farming. All other guests were visitors and none had yet been to our restaurants, which is unusual. There were two parties of lovely ladies and a couple older couples who all shared stories from onion sandwiches to “depression food” that added to the farm tour experience (depression food was about what people ate during the great depression). There was ample interest in our farming practices, particularly cover cropping today. Nice overall balance to the tour today between learning, having fun, and sharing stories.

Another solid tour with lots of nice folk and some more families: 20 persons total. Ellen Darden’s family has a daughter Sydney who was inspired to study sustainable agriculture after study abroad in the Himalayas, and the Goldbergs had their son Beau with them- whose enthusiasm seemed to infect the group as a whole. It’s all good! It’s nice to see such raw, unabashed enthusiasm. The family from Texas included two teenage boys and one wanted be macho by eating the hot lemon chili peppers raw, right on the spot, and did so holding a straight face. Angela Hildre came with two young daughters who were very well behaved. We have adjusted the tour for the summer season to proceed down the path from the parking lot making coffee the first stop followed by the asparagus. On harvest days (as today), we make a point of stopping by where the harvest is being staged to showcase what is being packaged for the restaurants to receive that afternoon. It’s a nice way see the crux of our operation

Lots of shuffling around at first. There was a no show, which is rare, and a lost guest who cancelled. There were two absolutely lovely families that that gave the tour a special feeling, and two couples adding a nice bit of nuance. We met Olinda farmers Ed Baldwin and wife, who have 27 acres at 4,000 ft elevation, and they shared a lot of valuable first hand experience with the tour guide and group. Of all the farmers who have visited, their farm seems to have the most in common with our own; except they have animals (chickens, goat, donkey) and they have done well selling eggs. The Toni Silvera couple also added sparkle to the group with a nice fun disposition. Ditto for the Jo Regan party. It all added up to a very pleasant group and tour. It was especially nice to have met the Baldwins.

Chef spent a lot of time with today’s small party of 4. They consisted of a nice young couple currently living in L.A. and two gentlemen partners. There was a third couple that showed up without a reservation but decided not to tour. The tour guide spent ½ hour or so with the group while chef was cooking and covered all the basic tenets of our farm operation. The group was not short changed in any manner- in fact these smaller groups usually get extra special treatment. Today we invited them for an espresso after lunch. They seemed to have genuinely enjoyed their tour experience and were encouraged to visit the restaurants, as they had not yet been.

PRODUCTION
New products that are making it to the markets this summer season include Parsnips (long requested by chef), Shiso, “Maxibel” haricot verts, heirloom Oxheart carrots (introduced from France in the 1840’s), Lemon Cucumbers, Japanese “Uchiki Kuri” squash, Green Tint escalloped summer squash, Celeriac, purple Kohlrabi, purple Tomatillo, “Invento” purple Cabbage, and Sorrel.


LETTUCE: Our original method of production is producing good results.

CABBAGE: Up in the air. Pacifico seems to no longer need. We are forging ahead with Tat Soi, which can be used fresh in salads, and are trying a new purple variety.

SPINACH: Doing well.

ARUGULA: Just fine.

CHARD: Currently over producing.

ONIONS: White Bunching Onions are in production, as are Leeks, and Maui onions.

FENNEL: Just fine.

BEETS: Doing well. Trying some new varieties: a red “Merlin” and new golden variety.

RADISH: Going for parsnips now too.

KALE: We are expanding our repertoire of this “super food” adding the purple flowering to the blue and red already in production. Kale has become a major new crop.

CARROTS: Fine.

CHAYOTE: This versatile squash is now in season.

CILANTRO: We’ve been a little short due to a poor sequence in the new G block.

BASIL: Field plants are starting to produce.

ALL HERBS: We have small supplies of many herbs (chervil, lovage, terragon, dill, and sage) the chefs might be interested in, a medium supply of shiso, mint, basil, thyme, and parsley, and plenty of rosemary and oregano.

CITRUS: Remain consistent.

STONEFRUIT: Nice big peaches and nectarines this season, but very little plums pears, and figs. Apples are very consistent.

COFFEE TREES: Greenhouse seedlings are being potted and staged. They will need to be 12 to 18 inches high before planting out in the field (at least a year old).

PEAS: Fine.

EGGPLANT: Sticking with the Italian heirloom “Rosa Bianca” variety.

TOMATO: The early outs in the field took a hit with the 12 days of misty weather in mid May. Some are recovering. We are relying on tomatoes from out in the field but have kept the yellow ones in the small greenhouse as back up.



There’s been a lot of discussion about the farm to table concept we have not only created on Maui, but are perfecting. We have spearheaded this movement in Hawaii and still maintain that leadership…and with both hands on the wheel. However, primary to the concept of “farm to table” is the European (French) manner or style of devising the menu around what is available locally, whether you own it or not- and this is where we can improve.

“Think globally, eat locally” is a fine concept.

“Keeping it natural, keeping it real”

“Enrich your soul with a connection to the land. Become hunters and gatherers of a sort again, living in and for the seasons, and for the day’s treasures. Let the spirit fill you, surrounded in peace, well being, and the fellowship and communion of your dining companions at the absolute best table on Maui”.

“Its so rewarding to see our product reaching elevated forms of expression and flavor. There is a real sense of being a part of something unique amongst the staff, who have grown accustom to seeing on the dinner plates something they harvested earlier in the day”.

“O’o Farm is a place of serene beauty in the unique and pristine upcountry Maui environment where a spiritual connection to the land can be found and where sustenance is offered to enrich the mind, body, and soul”.

“Preserving local resources, enhancing lives everywhere”

May is the month were we focused on production in anticipation of the seasonal peak that follows in June, July, and August in “normal” years- remember last years summer season was very short (1 month and 3 days). ‘Seasonality’ is a term that describes a concept that must be lived to understand. That is why I consider the farm slogan to be “living in and for the seasons, and for the days treasures”. Tomorrow is promised to no one…nor is the promise that every summer will be warm, long, and fruitful. All we can do is prepare for the best possible scenario and be resilient and resourceful and clever enough to play effectively the hand that is dealt to us. This year, May started out cool with an extended period of vog that began on the 13th. There was a nice bit of precipitation at months end giving 2.4 inches for the month- very average in Waipoli. The dust bowl days of June then set in with very hot cloudless sunny days that put a premium on irrigation. June ended very dry with only 0.4 inches of rain for the month. The season of stone fruits proceeded to run its course with smaller amounts of larger nectarine and peaches. Variety out in the gardens is unprecedented with never before seen items and more of them. The green houses are winding down and being readied for mid summers change over as most all items can be grown out in the fields now. We are now entering the “dog days” of summer where the dog star Sirius (brightest star in the sky) can be seen rising just before dawn.

This was a wonderful tour, with friendly guests and lots of questions. Most of the guests arrived on time; however one group got lost. They stated that their directions were very confusing. We started the tour on time, and the stragglers caught up with us shortly. Most of the guests were gardeners themselves and had many questions about our methods. We discussed various gardening techniques. Many were also surprised to hear about our different growing seasons in Kula- most guests assumed that we have a year round growing season for everything. The group was very excited to pick vegetables for lunch, so they all had a part in harvesting spinach, beans, and peas. Lunch was on time and wonderful as usual; furthermore our guests laughed and enjoyed several bottles of wine. Before departing most of the groups purchased some retail items, the hot items were coffee and spice rub. One of the gentleman suggested we serve our coffee in the morning, so people could get a taste of what they are buying. The entire tour offered many thanks and left smiling.