We had another intimate group of 8 adults that turned out to be quite interesting. From Toronto: an engineer who works in standards development, and his wife Kathy who grew up in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica and knew about coffee. One guest owned an LA restuarant and offered glasses of Champagne to all!!!

What’s new? The Persian Anise Basil never germinated, but Opal Basil and heirloom Lettuce Leaf Basil are coming on strong in the hot houses. Ditto for Green Shiso. Italian Flat Leaf Parsley the chefs’ want has been permanently established out in the fields- once mature there will be an endless supply. The Romanesco Cauliflower is maturing nicely and will soon be available for a try out, Unfortunately the Uchiki Kuri Winter Squash has not fared very well- growing very slow and getting eaten by snails and slugs (the slower the growth, the more vulnerable). Cucubits (melons, squash, & cucumbers) in general struggle in the Waipoli microclimate for a variety of reasons (powdery mildew, pickle worm, etc) we have always had difficulty growing them. In the end we may find other more valuable crops to grow in their place as space and resources get limited. The Elephant garlic is doing great- get ready for some roasted garlic. Like onions and leeks they take forever (6 months) to mature and our space will likely be allocated to other more productive crops. Heirloom tomatoes are starting to come in- they had a slow winter due to being shaded from the sun. The Heirloom “Maxibell” haricot verts are being cheated out in the garden (trying to get them to grow in the winter and spring) but are two to three weeks behind in their maturation- so we got to ask ourselves if its worth spending time and effort growing something with limited potential and out of season. Perhaps it’s best to focus on more reliably productive winter crops. Our first effort at micro green ended up being spring mix, but hey, no worries, because now we are sending those in too with a little Kale and green and purple mustards. Speaking of kale, this has earned a permanent place on the farm roster being #1: something the chefs like, #2: something that represents value for the labor, and #3: something that is good for the farms health (not too excessive in its nutrient requirements and nothing that attracts too many pests or is susceptible to molds and mildews). Oh, and speaking of micro greens (kale, chard, arugula, diakon, chervil, sorrel, and whatever we want- even weeds), they are still being developed- it’s a matter of how to best cut, package, and transport them. Are you still with me? Red sweet head cabbage is on order and going to be being tried out, along with purple flowering Kale, purple and white Kohlrabi, “Bandit” leeks, purple bunching onions, and new Red Leaf lettuce. Celeriac (celery root) and Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichoke) are being procured but are either seasonal products (fall only) or illegal to ship to Hawaii. We are also poised & ready for Mung Bean sprout production as soon as the seed arrives. Being caught up in the gardens has allowed us to move forward with new and experimental items- another benefit of a reliable staff.


LETTUCE: Major producer. We have re-established our original method of production (direct seed- no plugs).

CABBAGE: Average producer. We have to put a limit on them for the sake of soil fertility, crop rotations, and natural pest control.

SPINACH: Average producer.

ARUGULA: Major producer.

CHARD: Average producer.

ONIONS: Average producer. To be a major producer we would have to devote half the gardens to them- but that would lead to problems due to long maturation times (ties up too much space for too long) and because they draw the aphids. Like cabbages, for the health and overall benefit of the gardens, it’s best to limit our production to a fair degree.

FENNEL: Average producer.

BEETS: Major producer.

RADISH: Minor producer.

CARROTS: Average producer.

CHAYOTE: Average producer.

CILANTRO: Average producer.

BASIL: going for major production but are not there yet.

ALL HERBS: going for major production on Thyme and Shiso.

CITRUS: Major producer.

STONEFRUIT: Minor producer. Just pruned.

COFFEE TREES: going for major production, there are now 60 trees in the ground andd plans for several hundred more.

AVOCADO: They are in season now as minor producer.

PEAS: Average producer.

EGGPLANT: Minor producer.

TOMATO: going for major production.
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PEPPERS: Minor production.

FLOWERS: It’s wildflower season! Great for attracting beneficials!

Today was a nice tour with a diverse group of tourists. There were newlyweds, families, and retirees. One interesting guests said that he owns a farm in Wisconsin and was interested to see what our growing season was like in Hawaii. He mentioned that with the use of greenhouses they are able to grow about eight months of the year. The guests loved tasting the arugula and spinach. One guest mentioned that they preferred our arugula to the stuff that she buys in the store. The three children on the tour were very well behaved and attentive. All of the guests loved the lunch and several bought spice mix at our retail table. Everyone expressed there thanks and departed around one-thirty.

Today’s small group of 8 had a nice family feel due primarily to the children: a brother/sister pair of around 8 to 10 years old who were very well behaved yet curious, playful, and enthusiastic. This all rubbed off to the rest of us adults in the group as we all found ourselves indulging to the fullest in the farms bounty- including rare items like red potatoes, kaffir lime tea, and braised tat soi mustards with kale. The group also reveled in numerous chameleon encounters and making compost tea. Not a lot of academics today, but a whole lotta fun.

Nice big group of 30 due to an add-on group of 4 and a walk up single (an organic farmer from North Dakota). There were lots of farmers in the group spanning the nation; from Florida, Virginia, Colorado, North Dakota, and Washington State, along with some Master Gardeners, and all were very engaging and inquisitive. The Q & A never stopped, and there was a lot of valuable information exchange on topics from community planning, pest control, food, and irrigation. Peggy is an activist on green community planning in her home outside of Seattle and shared many ideals. A couple from Virginia were enthusiastic farmers who shared the latest technology on scarecrows (machine activated with sensors and water guns). It was a rare group of people who are together able to elevate the experience to higher and higher levels of consciousness.

This was a fun group on the smaller side with only thirteen guests. The guest’s ages ranged from two years old to mid sixties. This drastic range of ages gave the tour a family feeling. Everyone got along well and had several questions regarding coffee trees, crop rotation, growth seasons, and pest abatement. Most of the guests today were return visitors to Maui. One guest stated that the tour was a refreshing new experience, after coming to Maui for twenty years. Two of our guests were Kamaaina from Oahu. This was a special birthday trip for Pauline, saying “I came just for the farm tour." She usually visits Maui on Friday and Saturday. Mr Rehberg comes to Maui every year for work, this was the first time he had been able to enjoy upcountry Maui. At lunch everyone thoroughly enjoyed the food and company, after the meal the guest stated their thanks and departed.

Today’s group of 16 was on the quiet side. All mature adults who were from around the states and Canada, most seemed content to just soak up farm atmosphere. The standard spiel was toned down. Even so, a man from one party got a little miffed with the “eat local” topic that was being discussed and quipped: “I live in North Alberta, what do you expect me to do”? Uhhh…good point. Another had an insight, he works for a grocery chain as a food buyer and shared how he buys food- and how he was sold on organic foods for numerous reasons; one being how healthy soils are a living organism themselves and impart the food grown in them with nutritious micronutrients and more wholesome cell structure and fiber. The guy from North Alberta wasn’t buying into it. Nonetheless, and perhaps despite Mr. North Alberta’s naysaying, most thanked us and expressed appreciating on their way out.

The Maui High field trip with chaperon Joanne. The students were subdued and very quiet for high schoolers. Sunanda Dasi conducted the field tour and was very thorough. The farm manager spent a little time with them at the green houses and solicited a response from the group with a display of earthworms and centipedes to illustrate how fertile soil must be “alive”.

Dealing with pests organically

Snails and slugs are a bitch to control in our expansive gardens and we have learned to control these harmful mollusk pests with some help from our lunch tour guests. Strategic bordering and wise choice of crop rotation can minimize damage. In high impact border areas charcoal, sand, and salt have been used to establish physical barriers. Trapping and killing in shallow beer dished has recently yielded good results in problem areas, and so has night picking.

Today a group of 26 was a bit unruly and wild as they pretty much decided to self- tour. No problem. The rest were engaged in the farm story and experience, especially one kamaaina who treated the tour as a private consultation with a persistent line of questioning about all things gardening. At tours end, one party stopped by and gave us the kind of compliment that makes it all worthwhile and gives life and existence true significance.

The greenhouses under-performed during mid winter due to excessive shade from the wattle stand on the mauka side- both on and off our property. Also, vents and fans will be required to fully realize greenhouse potential. They will help to moderate and control wild swings in humidity, condensation, and the affiliated disease associated with them, as well as help control pests by allowing the doors to stay closed more often.

Today we entertained a small group of 11 that included return guests and several Vancouver natives. An extremely quiet group of amateur gardeners and garden variety sight seers, the group seemed shell shocked when anything remotely scientific was mentioned. Fair enough, lets just have a good time!

maui winter farm

Overnight lows are staying nice and cold but the transition to spring is underway with longer days and more sunshine, as well as warmer daytime temperatures. Diurnal temperature swings of 40 to 45 degrees are not uncommon in Waipoli this time of year, making O’o Farm a quite unique micro- climate indeed. Despite good winter rainfall, February was dry with only 0.5 inches of rain. Low rainfall always puts a premium on irrigation, and we do the best we can with our improvised irrigation system. February also saw the near complete re-establishment of the farming cycle out in the gardens, where production has been brought back up to par from the early November nadir. O’o is prepared to offer all our markets a consistent supply of our 20 or so core items that are available year round.

The coldest temperatures of the year, along with strong and consistent trades with little rain, seem to indicate the transition of winter to spring. Waipoli has experienced its coldest temperatures in 5 years, yet there has been ample sunshine during daytime hours and dry conditions. Still, it’s way too early to be cheating out summer crops out in the fields. Experience has taught us that its fools play- someone else’s paradigm.