AgXposure Days 3 and 4: Field Trips to Ho Farms and Kako`o Oiwi

For our second AgXposure field trip, we visited Ho Farms, did some weeding, then harvested some cherry tomatoes.  The landscape at Ho Farms was a stark contrast to Kahumana Organic Farm (sorry, I didn't even take any photos of Ho Farms).  It is a large-scale, conventional farm without non-profit support, and it distributes to several local grocery stores and is pretty well known around the State.  It is definitely doing its part to pump lots of local produce into local markets.  Many of my cohort mates seemed turned off by the fact that it is a conventional farm, and I have to admit it didn't make me feel great about the soil health.  But as far as a business goes, they seem to have figured it out.  I tried to keep an open mind and evaluate whether I wanted to farm conventionally or organically.

For our third AgXposure field trip, we visited Kako`o Oiwi, a non-profit that specializes in organically growing wetland taro.  This was the most unique experience I've had in a while because it was my first time ever in a lo`i.  We talked for a while about the history of the land and farming on it, then did some weeding (very different in a lo`i than on land), and lastly stomped on some mounds after taro had been harvested.  I suffered many scratches and a metallic smell for a few days, but it was a really fun, unique experience.

Kako`o Oiwi actually grows some crops other than taro.  This is their small veg garden, but check out that backdrop!

Billy Goat, head grass mower

One of the lo`i with some sheep onlookers

We all got REALLY muddy.  So fun!!!

As I've been going through AgXposure, I've also been watching a lot of Netflix documentaries like Chef's Table (especially the episode on Dan Barber) and Sustainable and doing my own research into organic vs. conventional farming.  I really want to run my own business, so of course profit and efficiency are important.  However, as someone who was trained in and is curious about biology and who cares about human and environmental health and sustainability, I'm really drawn to the idea of making high quality, clean food by putting in some sweat equity, making good compost and investing in soil health instead of relying on chemical pesticides, and using other organic farming techniques to minimize negative impacts.  I decided that with at least 85% of Hawaii's food coming from outside sources, there is room in the local market for both conventional and organic farms.  The chicken-and-egg problem of supply and demand for local food can be addressed simultaneously by large farms like Ho Farms who farm conventionally, yield lots of food, and thereby increase awareness of the availability of local food to help increase demand and lower prices for local food, while smaller farms like Kahumana and Kako`o Oiwi who farm organically have lower yields but increase awareness of the availability of local, organic food and meet the growing demand for organic food.  In the long run, I think both types of farms support Hawaii's goal of food self-sufficiency.  In the event of a catastrophe, some non-organic food is better than none, but local, organic food will be available in increasing quantities over time.  It makes sense in my mind, and with that framework sorted out, I could then see more clearly where I can fit into this system.

I still don't know what I want to grow.  I'm still experimenting growing new vegetables in containers at home.  But I think I understand my farming motivations better.  I'm just hopeful that I can find efficient ways of producing food organically and staying at a scale that is manageable.  I am really excited and eager to learn more and am praying that I get into AgSchool.  If not, I guess I'll share what other resources are out there to learn.  Wish me luck!