MCFB Ramps Up ‘Grown on Maui’ Awareness for Holidays
Maui County Farm Bureau wants everyone to know: now is the time to get serious about buying local! With the holiday season quickly approaching, MCFB is kicking off a comprehensive Fall/Winter campaign to reinvigorate the Grown on Maui trademark and remind residents and visitors to buy Grown on Maui produce, products, proteins, flowers and plants.
| Maui County Farm Bureau wants everyone to know: now is the time to get serious about buying local! With the holiday season quickly approaching, MCFB is kicking off a comprehensive Fall/Winter campaign to reinvigorate the Grown on Maui trademark and remind residents and visitors to buy Grown on Maui produce, products, proteins, flowers and plants. The new GOM campaign features print ads, radio spots and ongoing social media posts, along with targeted placements in MCFB-sponsored Season 15 of “Cooking Hawaiian Style” on Spectrum OC-16. MCFB is also working with retail outlets and farmers’ markets to provide posters, banners, placards and product stickers to make Grown on Maui goods visible and easy to find. With minimal effort, MCFB members benefit from these in-store promotions that put our locally grown goods in the spotlight. |
“Everyone knows buying local is good, but I don’t think consumers realize just how critical their role is,” says MCFB Executive Director Warren Watanabe. “We want to urge consumers to choose local products over imported. Urge them to support restaurants and retail outlets that source Grown on Maui products, and to ask for GOM if they don’t see it offered. All these things add up to create demand, which goes back to support our members and our community.”
| The GOM marketing pieces are free of charge and can be requested online at www.mauicountyfarmbureau.org. Retail outlets may also request to be listed on MCFB’s website as a place to purchase Grown on Maui goods. |
| “We are encouraging all consumers to ‘Take the Grown on Maui Challenge’!” Watanabe says. “Our goal is to raise awareness of the importance of supporting local agriculture this season, and then to help folks turn ‘buying local’ into a yearlong habit!” |
MCFB Presents 2021 Member Awards
The winners of Maui County Farm Bureau’s 2021 Member Awards were honored virtually at the annual General Membership Meeting on Oct. 14. The awards recognize those members who continually show tremendous support for Maui agriculture. This year’s winners are “Member of the Year,” Heidi Watanabe; “Farm Family of the Year,” the Hegele Family; and Mike Lyons Award, Hawaiian Electric Company.
| Member of the Year – Heidi Watanabe of Watanabe Farm LLC |
| “Member of the Year” Heidi Watanabe has served on the board of MCFB for more than 10 years, and she is currently secretary of both MCFB and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau. Since May 2020, she has been coordinator of the Farm Product Purchase Program, which buys food from farmers and ranchers at wholesale prices and distributes it to community nonprofit agencies. With Heidi at the helm, this program has proven to be a win-win for both Maui agriculture and Maui residents, even in these difficult times. |
| Farm Family of the Year – Hegele Family |
| For more than 30 years, “Farm Family of the Year” Paula, Roger, Joe, Henry and Colin Hegele of MauiWine have been a part of MCFB. As MauiWine’s president, Paula has collaborated with C. Pardee Erdman and his family to ensure the company’s success through the years. Since its beginnings as Tedeschi Vineyards in 1974, MauiWine has evolved into a 25-acre vineyard and 26,000-case production facility, with a visitor center and historic tasting room. For a decade, MauiWine presented the annual Ulupalakua Thing, bringing together thousands of people to meet farmers, ranchers and chefs. The Hegele boys volunteered at the event and worked in the vineyard as teenagers. Now, as men, all three are members of the hard-working MauiWine team—that’s family dedication! |
| Mike Lyons Award – Hawaiian Electric Company |
| Receiving MCFB’s 2021 Mike Lyons Award—which recognizes a person or organization whose support for the agricultural industry on Maui has truly made a difference—is Hawaiian Electric Company. HECO Maui County has been a partner in MCFB’s Agriculture in the Classroom since the program was first introduced in schools more than 15 years ago. HECO is also a staunch supporter of Maui AgFest and 4-H Livestock Fair, generously contributing to Maui youth as they explore potential careers in agriculture. MCFB and many farming and ranching members benefit from collaboration and partnership with HECO. “Agriculture has an essential role in our island community, and it’s important to recognize those folks who go the extra mile to ensure its success,” said Kyle Caires, MCFB board president. “We are pleased to congratulate Heidi Watanabe, the Hegele Family and HECO for being champions of agriculture on Maui.” |
| STEMworks Ag Internship Program Continues to Blossom Internships are all about hands-on learning, and what better model for careers in the agriculture industry? As the STEMworks Ag Internship Program heads into its second year, more Maui County Farm Bureau members are getting on board to acquaint local high school students with a variety of career paths, from pineapple to tea, cattle to cacao. The goal of the program is to expose students to different agricultural careers to encourage them to enter the agricultural industry or at least to gain an appreciation for the agriculture sector. Interns work 15 to 20 hours a week on meaningful projects that provide them with experiential learning experiences over a 10-week period. |
The Fall 2021 STEMworks Ag Internship Program runs Sept. 27 through Dec. 5 and is made up of 17 high school students in grades 9 to 12. Placed in 11 host companies across Maui and Moloka‘i, the interns are currently working on projects in conventional and organic agriculture operations; including agroforestry, agritourism, processing crops and meat, nursery operations, agricultural education and outreach, caring for livestock, traditional Hawaiian farming practices, and conducting forage research trials.At the end of the internship, students present what they learned in an online showcase. Interns also receive a stipend of $1,500.
The Ag Internship Program was first piloted in Fall 2020 with five interns at five host companies on Maui. Since then, internships have been offered on Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i with 33 interns at 21 host companies.
| The program is currently recruiting host companies—especially MCFB members—for Spring and Summer of 2022. |
| “I have learned so much about organic farming, horticulture, sustainability, and the life cycle,” says Kira Kai Yamazaki Gray, a student from Moloka‘i High School and Summer 2021 intern at Pu‘u O Hoku Ranch. “This internship has widened my perspective and allowed me to see many different jobs that aren’t talked about at school. Because I have completed this internship, I have become more passionate about these things, and I definitely see myself pursuing a career in agriculture in the future.” |
| STEMworks™ is a flagship program of Maui Economic Development Board, Inc.’s (MEDB) Women in Technology project. For more information about the program, or if you are interested in being a host company, please contact Britney James at britney@medb.org or visit Maui County Ag Internships — STEMworks |
Aloha Members,
The 2021 Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau annual meeting was held virtually on Oct. 27. MCFB had six delegates including Kyle Caires, Joshua Shyloh Stafford-Jones, Wes Nohara, Theresa Thompson, Jason Holman, and Ethan Romanchak.
The annual meeting brings together delegates from Hawaiʻi’s eleven county chapters, HFB staff, and agriculture agencies such as Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) and College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources (CTAHR).
The business of the annual meeting is to review the organization’s finances, president’s and executive director’s reports, committee reports, and county chapter reports. The House of Delegates also approve the HFB legislative package for the upcoming session and any proposed by-laws or policy changes. This year there were several policy changes that were adopted by the delegates. The delegates also vote for the HFB officers for the year. Congratulations to Randy Cabral-President, John Gordines-Vice President, Heidi Watanabe-Secretary, and Larry Jefts-Treasurer.
This was the second year that the HFB annual meeting was held virtually. It is with great anticipation that next year’s annual meeting will be in person.
Warren K. Watanabe
Executive Director
Membership in the Maui County Farm Bureau is your best way to stay informed on all agricultural programs, issues, and educational opportunities that can impact your family farm or ranch. If you are a Friend of a Farmer, we welcome your support as well. Our new online portal makes paying for your membership easy and convenient. Learn about membership benefits here. Through your membership support, MCFB is able to advocate for the entire agriculture community.Join or renew membership here.
| Mauka Harvest Cake Noodle by Executive Chef Tylun Pang, The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui Serves 4 Ingredients: ¼ cup of Kula onions 1 inch diced 8 x Hamakua Ali‘i or shiitake mushrooms stem removed and sliced ¼ cup of Otani Farms rainbow carrots (1/8 inch round slices) ¼ cup of Zucchini (1/4 inch half round slices) 1 cup of Baby bok choy, cut into 1 inch pieces ¼ cup of Red bell pepper, diced 1 inch 8 oz of Hong Kong style egg noodle, fresh 2 + 2 Tablespoons Maui sunflower oil 2 cups of Chicken or vegetable stock 2 tbsp of Oyster sauce 1 tbsp of Soy sauce 1 tsp of Salt ¼ tsp of Pepper For the cornstarch slurry: 3 tbsp of Cornstarch ½ cup of Water Method: Prepare vegetables per instructions on the ingredient list. Fill large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and boil for a minute then pour into a colander and drain well. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the cooked drained noodles. Spread them over the bottom of the wok so they form a cake or pancake. Cook them until the noodles are crisp and brown on the bottom then flip them over and do the same on the other side. Remove the noodle cake to a cutting board and cut into serving portions then arrange on a platter. Add the other 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok place on high heat. Add the vegetables to the hot wok and stir fry for two minutes keeping them crisp. Next add in the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. When the contents in the wok comes to a simmer mix the water and cornstarch slurry, and stir into the wok. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Serve the vegetables and sauce over the crispy cake noodle and serve immediately. Locals like to eat this dish with their favorite hot sauce. Cooking tip: Shrimp that has been peeled and cleaned can be added in with the stir fried vegetables making the dish worthy of your next special occasion. Enjoy! |
Calamansi Chocolate Margarita by Dr. Gunars Valkirs, Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate
Ingredients:
6 oz Almond milk
2 oz Maui Ku‘ia Estate Dark Chocolate (65% cacao)
1-2 oz Fresh Calamansi juice
2 oz Tequila (optional – blanco preferred)
Directions:
Heat the almond milk up in a small saucepan using medium heat while stirring frequently but no hotter than when it first starts to form bubbles. For those who like to use thermometers that is about 80° C (176° F)
Add the chocolate all at once and mix thoroughly until melted. Use a whisk, if you have one, for best incorporation of chocolate. While stirring frequently, bring the liquid back up to the temperature where it just starts to bubble, remove from heat, and cool slightly before placing it in a closed container for storage in a refrigerator. This mixture can be refrigerated for up to one week.
After the chocolate mixture is cold, add 1-2 oz of freshly squeezed Calamansi juice (according to your taste) and stir to mix, add 2 oz of tequila blanco (silver), mix thoroughly and serve. More or less tequila can be used.