Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 10, 1 October 1999 — A dream becomes reality for Koʻolauloa community with Mālaekahana Farms [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A dream becomes reality for Koʻolauloa community with Mālaekahana Farms

By Manu Boyd ln the heat of the mid-day sun on 0'ahu's north shore, the last trace of morning moisture disappears, but in renovated brood houses, tomatoes flourish in a eool, misty, man-made haven.

AT A site in Mālaekahana identified by life-long resident Gladys Pualoa-Ahuna as "Māhani," on land now owned by Hawai'i Reserves ine., the vision of the Lanihuli Communitv

Development Corporation has heeome reality. Mālaekahana Farms, the brain child of Craig Chapman, Pualoa- i Ahuna's son-in-law, is S the result of good plan- I ning and the hard work. Fortified by a grant | from the Administra- , tion for Native Ameiicans (ANA) to whieh the Office of Hawaiian ' Affairs provided a match grant for special projects, the former site of the Cackle Fresh Egg Farm has morphed

into a successful community-based eeonomie development project that is a lot to crow about. "In 1998, we applied to the ANA for a grant to help bring an idea to fruition. We are alwavs look-

ing at ways to to create jobs and employment diversity, and this grant, whieh requires that Hawaiians be hired, allows just that. We've started small, but intend to expand as the business grows," Chapman said. Mālaekahana Farms offers employment diversification opportunities in a eommunity whose economy has revolved around the Polynesian Cultur-

al Center and related businesses for many years. But the spiritual and cultural connections to the areas of Lā'iewai (wet Lā'ie) and Lā'iemālo'o (dry Lā'ie) have sustained the large Hawaiian eommunity there for generations. "When we were young, Lā'ie and Mālaekahana were nothing but unobstructed sand dunes," remembers PualoaAhuna. "We hved up closer to the foot hills so we could grow our taro. Yet with innovative planting and an understanding of the environment, Lā'ie became the 'breadbasket' of O'ahu. 300 famihes

were sustained out here by growing taro, mango, coconuts and wī. "Today, the Lā'ie community ntimbers 5,000 with an additional 2,000 at the eollege (Brigham Young University - Hawai'i)," she continued. "I know all of our kūpuna like Tūtū Nāinoa and Tūtū 'Āpuakēhau are smiling at what their mo'opuna are doing today. Whenthey started this community out here many years ago, they had a hard time, but they credit akua and the saints for inspiring See FARMS on page 14-

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Jack Yamaguchi, a hydroponics expert, shares his mana'o with Lā'ie community members.

PHOTOS: MANU BOYD

"YOU SAY 'TOMATO"' - Constant mist and specialized nutrients encourage faster-than-normal development for these tomatoes at Mālaekahana Farms.

F ARMS Fr°m page 11

hfe in the land. We are mindful that nothing is to be taken without first thanking akua for these blessings. These plants will bear abundantly." Refined technology has also had a hand in the success of the project, thanks to the know-how of Jack Yamaguchi, an expert in hydroponics and plant nutrients, who has been a consultant for similar projects in Sāmoa and Tahiti, and was the mastermind behind the hydroponics. ^ ^ HIS PROCESS sterilizes the I growing environment, I allowing for harvests year I after year with ongoing proI ductivity. We do this by increasing the plants' intake of ealeium and other nutrients," explained Yamaguchi. "Initially, we are growing tomatoes and plan to add red and yellow peppers." Chris van Bergeijk, OHA's Communi-ty-Based Eeonomie Development coordinator, remarked the Lanihuli Development Company is

incredibly resourceful. "They are able to get a big retum on small amounts of money, and proved that years ago with an OHA grant to develop Mālaekahana Park. They represent a good marriage of business experience and eommunity mindedness. They are also global thinkers, and work

hard to understand how to market their product," she commented, on their plans to eventually

export to Guam. Kau'iokalani Tano, a junior at Kahuku High School and family worker at the farm, anticipates good crops, in part, due to "Sonic Bloom," an imagina-tion-stretching «gy"There was research done in forests that showed certain regions with large bird populations produced aboveaverage blooms on trees

"Sonic Bloom" imitates the high pitch of birds whieh researchers believe causes pores to open in some plants. Chemicals including food nutrients mixed with water are released from aerial tubes in the vapor form allowing the open plant pores to receive the nutrients for optimum growth," Tano

easily explained. "Mālaekahana Farms is truly a vision becoming reality," said Representative Colleen Meyer at last month's blessing and dedication ceremony. "I'm so proud of what this eommunity constantly does " For more information on communitybased eeonomie

development programs, eall OHA at 594-1848. ^ ■ PWOTrtQ- AAAWI I Rr»vn

They represent a good marriage of business experience and communitymindedness. — Chris van Bergeijk, OHA

Vai Laumatia of HR!, Joyce Ka'aihue of Bank of Hawai'i, State Representative Colleen Meyer and Eric Ka'aihue of Services Unlimited enjoy the dedication ceremonies.