Vanilla Beans

[Tiger Beer]

Certainly an exotic plant. I don't mean to hijack the thread, but learning about something I simply hadn't thought about before.

Just looked it up, the four main producers:
•Madagascar
•Indonesia
•Mexico
•Tahiti

If Tahiti is a big producer, it makes sense that Hawaii would produce it as well.

I wonder how luctrative it would be to grow such a thing for the marketplace? Seems like it would mostly stay local in Hawaii, but certainly an interesting thing to think about.

[resherrick]

tigerbeer, here's where to go.
ORCHIDS ASIA- ASIAN ORCHIDS COLLECTIBLES RESOURCE

[hotzcatz]

How profitable it would be to grow them would all depend on how expensive it was to produce them. Growing a few in the backyard where there wouldn't be any outlay for property or labor would be very profitable although very limited in scope. Growing them commercially with an acre of land or more plus labor costs, water, etc., could be a lot more expensive - per bean - to produce but hopefully there would be enough sales to offset the increased expenses.

There might be more profit in growing the orchid plants and selling them to other folks who are going to grow the beans. Kinda like the ostrich farmers a couple of decades ago. I think the ones who made the most on ostrich farming were the ones supplying the ostriches to the other folks who were going to farm them.

[resherrick]

Well I was looking at ways to create a sustainable lifestyle. not necessarily profitable. I've been looking at stevia as a sustainable source of income. most producers will buy product from anyone. I can sell gold to almost everybody.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by resherrick

Well I was looking at ways to create a sustainable lifestyle. not necessarily profitable.[/i]

When I think sustainable, I think of having just enough for your own self and family.

Is there enough usages of vanila for personal consumption?

Either that, or we define 'sustainable lifestyle' slightly differently.

Nontheless, an interesting topic.

[hotzcatz]

You can't have a "sustainable lifestyle" without some sort of trade or barter goods. Nobody can make absolutely everything they need - not even a community can make everything everyone needs - and the tax office won't accept trade goods. They require cash so you need some sort of cash crop to keep the whole sustainable thing going.

A sustainable lifestyle should be profitable. You should be growing more than you need for yourself so the extra can be stored or traded. Crops fail, you need some stored in case they do. Money is sort of storing crops in an odd fashion.

From what I've noticed over the years, most folks who thrive around here do many more than one thing. Vanilla might be a very good niche crop, but it shouldn't be your only crop. Add in some lavender, assorted herbs, maybe a bit of soap making, bee keeping, whatever is necessary to produce products and sell them at the farmers market or trade them for things you need. Fruits and vegetables for eating as well for selling at market, etc.

[nwcountrygal]

…A Flavorful Agribusiness: Vanilla | Ke Ola Magazine | Celebrating the Arts, Culture & Sustainability of Hawaii Island

Give a call to these folks as linked above. They sound like they would be a great source of information. And are doing really well. Although how are you going to keep them warm in Hope? By the way I love Hope and coming down for open mic night! Good luck... it is the second most coastly spice to saffron.