Evan Ryan, Maui Farmers Union Does Compost Tea Demo

Evan Ryan, is also a great landscape gardener/farmer and member of the Maui Farmers Union board. For the August meeting, Evan did a detailed demo on making Aerated Compost Tea. There are some open question points around the inputs required and how they can be more locally sourced. Maybe an opportunity for someone on Maui. Please leave comments if there are any points around making or using compost tea on your plants. Video testimonial would be great, submit what you have and I can approve it to display. Or if you have a youtube or video site with more, please let us know.
Mahalo & Aloha.

Jim Hall

P.S. Evan Ryan puts on edible landscape and other workshops pretty often. Check him out on Facebook.

Maui Farmers Union Discussing Composting and Food Safety.

The topic of Food Safety and how the waste system through the sewage finds it's way into the compost, along with medical wastes and everything else from the dump was discussed at the August Maui Farmers Union Meeting. School gardens, edible landscapes and concerns around the composting involved also came up.

Maui Farmers Union has a regular feature they call the "Produce Scoop". Ryan Eareheart, the produce manager of Mana Foods in Paia did a great job, as usual, for the August meeting. As a farmer himself, he is very knowledgeable and can help the Maui farmers figure out the best crops to grow and sell to Mana Foods, as well as the best foods for the consumer. I just saw on Mana Foods Facebook page they are hiring a dynamic produce person to help Ryan.

Maui Farmers Union August "Chef's Corner"

One of my favorite portions of the Maui Farmers Union meeting, besides the pot luck, is the Chef's Corner. The August meeting featured the return of a regular guest chef.
Chef Justin Pardo of Market Fresh Bistro in Makawao town on Maui is a big supporter of local farmers and gardeners through his restaurant. Serving nearly everything that was within a day or two of being harvested.
This meeting he did a demo on how to prepare Kalo to make real quick Kalo and Kula Onion Cakes. Also variations on the recipes.
Always a lively, fun and informative presenter, I have quite a few videos on his presentations for the Maui Farmers Union.

The Maui Farmers Union August meeting had an announcement by Jonathan Starr of the closure of Laulima Farms by the health dept for using non-County water in there food preparations. The story was published in the Mauitime (see www.mauitime.com) previous to this, but it was a concern among many attending the meeting.

Maui Farmers Union opening announcement and David Fisher on the local stock exchange movement.

Maui Farmers Union August 2011 Meeting

Maui Farmers Union

Tuesday, August 23, 2011, 6pm - 9:00pm

New Location (One time only...)

Downstairs in the back behind Pukalani, Tavares Center

Follow signs after turning into the center (Pool room was not available this month)

Localvore Potluck!

Prepare a dish to share for dinner!!!

Produce & Seed Swap:

Bring your home/farm grown produce for display.... then swap produce, seeds, cuttings and starts at the end of the meeting!

Get into the running to go home with:

Gift cards at DTE & Hawaiian Moons

Basket of local produce. Mana Foods, Whole Foods!

Basket of produce from Greenleaf Farm Mahalo Marta & Bill Greenleaf,

Feather Meal-Mahalo Crop Production Service

Bio Char-Mahalo Maui Bio Char

Doors Open to public 6pm

6:30-7:00 - Farmers Feast

"It's all about the food"

All are welcome & encouraged to participate in this festive meal of good will

Be Creative its your event!!!

Grow, prepare and share a local grown dish, if you can't bring anything to share to eat, then either donate $5, or come early and set up or stay after to clean up.

This is a trash free event,

please bring your traveling cup, plate and fork!

7:00-8:30 - General Meeting

8:30-9:00 - Open Dialogue "Talk Story"

Meeting Schedule:

7:00-7:10 - Welcome, Announcements: Vincent Mina MFU Board Member, www.MauiGrown.com

7:10-7:25 - Chef's Corner: Justin Pardo Market Fresh Bistro-"Taro Cusine", marketfreshbistro@gmail.com

7:25-7:35 - Produce Scoop: Ryan Eareheart-Mana Foods Produce Manager, vegihead@hotmail.com

7:35-7:45 - Origin of Agricultural Wisdom: Harriette Witt- (Maui Astrologer) harriet@passengerplanet.com

7:45-8:00 - Aerated Compost Tea Demo-- Evan Ryan MFU Board member, kalalaukai@hotmail.com

8:00-8:30 - Define Priorities- Member input for our upcoming state board "Strategic Planning" session on Kauai Sept 19-23

8:30 - 9:00 Talk Story/Network - Pau!

Maui Board of Directors:

Melissa Ebeling,

Jennifer Chirico,

Greg Hopkins,

Evan Ryan,

Vincent Mina

Hawaii State Directors:

Bill Greenleaf

Wayne Axelson

Vincent Mina 

Thinking about Water

Working with my backyard aquaponics project and trying to avoid using too much water in my yard, it led me to some sites on water. I thought I would add a few videos on groundwater.

Ken Love of Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers on Adding Value and Profit to Your Farm Operation

On August 2, 2011 California FARMLINK put on a tour and workshop called "Adding Value and Profit to Your Farm Operation." Held on the island of Maui, the group visited Alii Kula Lavendar, Watanabe Vegetable Processing and finished up at the Market Fresh Bistro for presentations and delicious locally farmed produce.

Ken Love of Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers came over from the island of Hawaii and gave a presentation. He had some fantastic information to provide. I would highly recommend sitting back and watching all 2 videos, about 50 minutes worth. Anyone farming, thinking about farming or don't even know they are thinking about it, will want this info.

Ken Love Part 1


Ken Love Part 2


Ken Love Part 3