Big Island Services Needed?

[kani-lehua]

i suggested to hilobound that maybe he might pursue becoming a licensed home inspector. these guys make a pretty penny. we paid almost $500 bucks and the guy had two more inspections lined up that day.

[hotzcatz]

How about farming? We need more folks growing food around here. Maybe find some lease land and grow some sort of vegetable? That fellow who grows watermelons on Oahu started out on Molokai and there's some folks who do well growing sweet corn and selling it by Kai store in Hilo. Another fellow is trying to set up hydroponic lettuce and fish farming. I think growing food would be a very good business to start.

Most of the "farming" around here was historically plantation farming so the workers were more like outdoor factory workers, they didn't really learn how to farm things so we don't have a lot of local knowledge to work from. If we had mainland farmers come in and work with tropical crops there might be some really profitable results.

[nwcountrygal]

I am headed over there next month also to check things out..... see if it is a fit. I was thinking of possible landscape service but didn't think people would really pay? I also had an idea of -- if those who would pay if I could find a organic way of pest control. I had Pest business with ex ... would like to stay organic although it would cost more most likely - all pest chemicals are a manufactured form of natural product... Annyz if I move over maybe combine What do the locals think for organic pest contol? throwing my ideas to everyone to do before get there LOL

[Annyz]

I love the suggestions about starting in some area of farming for crops, whether it be a raised veggie bed or a field of product. We have never farmed ourselves, but I have files full of information on organic and sustainable farming from a previous job I had a few years ago. I am a firm believer in not using chemicals, but rather use alternative methods for pest management, fertilization and weed control. I even considered contacting an organic farm on Maui or Oahu through their WOOF program and work on one of the farms for a period of time. But at my age (early 50's) I have to consider maintaining my health...my back in particular LOL! So far no problems and I want to keep it that way! But I have always loved working outdoors and this is most definitely an area I want to investigate further.
Any additional info regarding agriculture and organic farming would be great.
Also, what about livestock? Are any raised on the big isle? I used to have goats and sheep that I raised for wool production purposes. (spinning, weaving, etc)
Do people ever use horses in their farming practices?
Thanks everyone, you have been VERY helpful!

[hotzcatz]

Here's more gardening information than can be absorbed: Welcome to the CTAHR Home Page!
That's the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources webpage and they have loads more information than most folks need.

We have four different types of fruit fly and no winters to kill things off around here so the bugs can get pretty ferocious. Lots of different parts of the island are also too new to have soil yet so folks experiment with growing things in lava cinders. A lot of stuff will grow in cinders.

My friends mom raises sheep for wool and to sell for meat although there are less cruise ships buying lamb these days.

There are a lot of cattle on the island mostly meat cattle, but two dairies. There are several goat dairys, a mushroom farm, a vanilla farm, some folks making honey, lots of banana farmers and other vegetable growers. Here's a farm website: Hamakua Springs Country Farms

Considering the price of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, organic might be the only affordable way to farm pretty soon.

[nwcountrygal]

I was wondering about bee hives and honey ... Thanks

[Calico Salsa]

We're finding more places that have farmer-to-household direct channels. A couple of services will bring a weekly box of veggies or fruit or mixed, right to your door every week or every other week. They work with local farmers, and one service has expanded to also deliver from local goat dairy, honey, local grass fed beef, and other providers.

I love the idea of buying local, and batching it into a delivery service to save everyone gas and time.

[hotzcatz]

That was one of the suggestions in the Hawaii Whole System Project which was put together by the Rocky Mountain Institute for the Omidyar family however, I can't find any more references to it online. Hmpf! It was an 84 page document which mentioned how to improve diversified agriculture on this island. Fortunately I saved a copy and here is an excerpt of what they thought the twelve most helpful things to do would be:

The Top Twelve Opportunities
1. Hawaii Feeds Itself Day: A one-day, Island-wide event where all restaurants, schools,
public administration, companies and stores would be “local food only.”

2. Distribution Trucking and/ or Use of Extant Infrastructure for Distribution: A small fleet
of refrigerated trucks or vans that would visit small farms to pick up produce and deliver
them to grocery stores, restaurants or markets. And/or use of existing modes of
distribution to get local food to residents.

3. Credit and “Barefoot MBA”: A credit facility that would provide loans, letters of credit
and advice to farmers applying to government and other grants.

4. Biodiesel Crop and Processing: Biodiesel crops may be able to grow effectively on the
Island at small- to large-scale. Depending on the feedstock, byproducts can be used as
compost or animal feed.

5. Processing Facility for Prepared Foods: Home cooking is often a hurdle, so providing
Residents of Hawaii with an option for locally grown processed food could boost local
market share.

6. Fruit Park: Modeled on Japanese fruit parks, an ag-tourism destination featuring a large
variety of fruit trees, as well as a restaurant and fruit/fruit product store. Also includes a
research station.

7. School Gardens: Spaces in schools where students have the opportunity to go to
“garden class”, take special garden electives or after-school classes. School garden also
provides food for school or families.

8. Mechanization R&D: Develop machines that can perform on the Island’s difficult terrain.
This is most applicable to large farms, and could be funded through public/private efforts.

9. Long-term Lease Landlord: Investment in 100s of acres to benefit from buying in bulk.
The land-lord then leases small plots (1-5 acres) at reasonable rates for long periods
(30-50 years) to farmers.

10. Marketing/Education Body: A body that helps farmers organize to market their brand
and products and educate consumers through outreach, chef education, adult cooking
classes, etc.

11. Support Commodity Vegetables: Focus on farmers who want to grow fruits and
vegetables consumed every day by residents of Hawaii.

12. Ventures might include greenhouse and hydroponic operations.

Fitting services into this framework should help the island as well as be needed services.

[Annyz]

"Hotzcatz"...boy you have me really wound up now! I love some of the "12" ideas you described and see such potential for communities to take full advantage of locally grown products. What could be better than having fresh, home-grown food on your table every day? I think neighbors supporting neighbors and removing ourselves from total dependency upon large food corporations is of great importance. There are so many illness' and diseases that I am convinced stem from eating unhealthy foods. After all, if a steer is raised in a feedlot, is fed highly concentrated feed for rapid growth, given growth hormones, lays in it's own filth everyday, inhales ammonia fumes and has to be slaughtered before it's liver bursts, then just exactly how healthy is that meat going to be when it hits the grocery store?
Thanks again and I will definitely be doing my homework on your suggestions!

[hotzcatz]

No worries about feedlots around here considering the price of imported feed. Local beef is all grass fed, it isn't even grain finished. The dairy is now experimenting with growing corn for feed, they are spreading manure on the fields (they do have that and don't have to pay shipping costs), growing corn and feeding that to the cows while they are being milked. They just implemented this change earlier this year so we are watching to see how it all works out.

Kind of plan your farm as if it were being done in a third world country and it may work in Hawaii. There was a webpage somewhere I saw once which listed the tons and types of vegetables imported and exported from this island. If we are importing ten tons of green beans a year then you know there is a market for at least ten tons of green beans.

I would think if you were able to keep it really local, grow assorted produce and sell weekly baskets of it to your neighbors you would be able to get retail prices (or at least more than the wholesale price you'd get from the grocery stores or hotels) and your neighbors would benefit as well. We don't have a lot of agricultural product processing on island. A few crops have processing facilities such as mac nuts, coffee, papayas and ginger but if you are growing green beans or tomatoes you may have to pack and market them yourselves. More work, but more "value added" product.

My neighbor and I are investigating worm bin composting to get worm castings for fertilizer to add to hydroponic vegetables. This benefits in not having to pay for expensive imported fertilizer AND it is organic and some folks appreciate that a lot. There is a fellow who is raising tiliapia and using hydroponic vegetables to filter the fish tank water through. The fish fertilize the vegetables and the vegetables clean the fish water. Hmm, now if he just had vegetable eating fish, it could be a closed loop.