Honopua Organic Farm Tour

Big Island, Hawaii, near Waimea, January 11, 2008

Ken Hufford and his wife Roen own and operate Honopua Organic Farm. Their 10 acre farm grows vegetables for local restaurants and farmer's markets; and flowers for Hawaiian leis. Roen's mother, Marie McDonald, was named a native Hawaiian "living treasure" by the Smithsonian Institution for her lei making skills.

 

The organic vegetable part of the farm. Ken and one of his classic cars can be seen to the left.

 

A look down the row of the organic vegetables

 

Fresh budding crop

 

Opening a bag of organic fertilizer

 

Jeremy, the tour guide, and Ken discuss organic farming

 

Natural pest control: Ken uses the red (less tasty to critters) vegetable to protect the green ones inside the row.

 

Jeremy tries a bit of fresh spinach-- yum!

 

Honopua Organic Farm: where the flowers are...

 

Roen harvests fresh tropical flowers to demonstrate how a lei is started.

 

A section of lavender grows outside a greenhouse. Among other uses, Roen makes a natural repellent with the lavender.

 

Since pesticides are not used, bugs have eaten holes in the leaves of this fuschia hybrida, leaving the flowers themselves unharmed.

 

Mats are used for weed control

 

A king protea

 

Unfortunately, Honopua Organic Farm does not have a website of their own. If you are interested in this tour, check out this LINK.

 

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