Kipahulu Organic Fruit Farm is Only Ono!

FRESH FRUIT CORNUCOPIA AT CHUCK BOERNER'S ONO ORGANIC FARMS, KIPAHULU, MAUI

Travels to East Maui brought about a fabulous visit to Ono Organic Farms. Sitting in the idyllic setting with Chuck and Lily Boerner, and sampling locally grown coffee, dragon fruit, sweetsop, and durian (!), it was a beautiful example of a local success story established through hard work and love for the land. Read more about Ono Farms in my weekly Rob Report column.

Two weeks ago, several of us on the Maui Tomorrow Food Security and Renewable Energy subcommittee attended the annual Hawaii Congress of Planning Officials conference at the Grand Wailea, Maui. While there, I crossed paths with former Maui Planning Commissioner Suzanne Freitas, who is heading a new non-profit effort called, Waste Not, Want Not. The concept of the organization is to collect unpicked, unwanted ripe fruits so that it may be distributed to seniors, schools, and other needy organizations that can benefit from receiving this healthy, local food at no cost. WNWN is finalizing initial funding support to purchase a truck and picking equipment, and to support administration efforts to distribute this bounty which might otherwise go unused.

A historic ruling happened on Thursday, Sept. 25th, as the state Commission for Water Resource Management (CWRM) approved a recommendation for returning 12 million gallons of diverted water daily into eight East Maui Streams. The ruling was the culmination of years of petitioning by East Maui taro growers, and marks a giant step towards returning these fertile growing regions back into production to sustain the people and the culture that has been in existence here for many generations.  

More to come on the Maui Food Security food blog, with news of planning efforts for a Community Garden in Haiku, and more. Stay tuned....and please let us know what's new in your neighborhood. New moon is tomorrow...time to plant!

Best to all,

ROB