Contest, Tomatoes

Hamakua Style Tomato Pie

Our second annual Tomato Recipe contest is coming up! Stay tuned for details on how to enter.

Last year, the Overall Grand Prize went to Candace Ames of Hilo for her “Hamakua Style Tomato Pie.” The recipe follows if you’d like to try it.

HAMAKUA STYLE TOMATO PIE

4 firm, meaty Hamakua Springs tomatoes
1 9-inch pre-baked, deep-dish pie shell
2 stalks of green onions
salt

1 bunch of fresh parsley
2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 small Hawaiian red chili pepper, seeded and deveined

Topping:
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 scant cup mayonnaise
3 green onions

1. Slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let drain in a colander for about 10 minutes.

2. Finely chop your two stalks of green onion.

3. Combine parsley, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and small, red Hawaiian chili pepper (seeded and deveined) in a small handichopper or food processor. Process for about 30 seconds or until you get a pesto-like consistency.

4. Sprinkle about 1/4+ cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on the bottom of your pie shell. Spread a little of your parsley mixture. Sprinkle a little of your finely chopped green onions. Top with your sliced tomatoes. Spread tomatoes with a little more of your parsley mixture and the rest of your finely chopped green onions.

5. Prepare topping: Finely chop just the white bulbs of the 3 green onions. Add to your shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and mayonnaise. Mix until well blended. Spread topping evenly over tomato filling.

6. Bake in a preheated, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, oven for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Let cool, but serve warm and enjoy.

Photography

A Photographic Smorgasbord

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Richard (left) and Chef Alan Wong (right)

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Our produce passing Chef Alan’s “aroma test”

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Our French Charentais melons

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A box of our Chef’s Select Living Lettuce

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Green onions

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Our “sampler plate”

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Our tomatillos, Anaheim peppers and jalapeno peppers; at bottom left, a round cucumber!

Health, Peak Oil

Me & T. Boone Pickens

While I was doing my exercises this evening, I thought about listening to T. Boone Pickens at the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas (ASPO) conference I attended in Houston last month.

Peak Oil refers to the point where the total amount of oil extracted in the world starts to decline, for geological reasons. At that point there are still lots of reserves left, but it has become increasingly difficult to retrieve it. Here’s an up-to-date and unbiased overview of where things stand right now.

Pickens said the world cannot produce more than 85 million barrels per day (which was reached in 2005) yet present world demand is 87 – 88 million barrels of oil per day. By 2030, 22 years from now, total oil supplies will decline to 50 million barrels per day. That’s 35 million barrels less than is produced now.

Supply and demand being what it is, we can expect higher prices. How high? No one really knows. That whole subject is difficult to wrap one’s brain around.

T. Boone Pickens also said he was a great believer in exercise. I liked him right off. He related that many years ago his company (Mesa Oil) was one of the first companies to require that its employees take an exercise break.

He told us that even now, at 79 years of age, he still walks 40 minutes at 4 mph several times per week. I considered interrupting his talk and asking him at what heart rate, but decided not to. Now I regret that I didn’t. He was obviously the kind of guy who would know the answer. And I was truly curious.

Back in the Feeling Good post of April 23rd, I related the results of the treadmill test I’d taken a few days earlier. The test consisted of four three-minute intervals. By the last three minutes, which were set at 4.4 mph, I had reached a heart rate of 172-174 and had stabilized. I stopped at 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

I use that three minutes at 4.4 mph as a goal. I did 2 minutes 30 seconds yesterday. But I am also doing short bursts at 6 and 7 mph.

Although T. Boone Pickens is 6’2” or so and maybe he is just walking fast, still, 40 minutes at 4 mph is pretty good for someone who is 79 years old. I have to step it up.

Peak Oil

Matson Fuel Surcharge Increasing

In today’s business section of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, the article “More to Ship” announces that “Matson is hiking surcharge further.”

Last month, Matson announced that on December 2 it was raising its fuel surcharge from 24 percent to 26 percent. But due to rising oil prices, Matson now says it will instead raise the fuel surcharge to 29 percent on December 14.

This is the single largest fuel surcharge hike since 1999. And the article says that the company may consider another rate increase in Jaunary if fuel prices stay at the same levels—which I think they will.

The article goes on to say that a 20-pound bag of rice will cost 3.9 cents more, a head of lettuce one cent more and an 8 ft. 2X4 will cost 2.7 cents more. This gives the impression that the surcharge is only a minor cost increase.

But Paul Brewbaker, Senior Vice President at Bank of Hawaii, added some perspective to the discussion. He said, “The cost of oil has gone up from $50 to nearly $100 per barrel over the last year….It’s too simple to say that the fuel surcharge will lead to higher prices at the supermarket…It may be more expensive to transport lumber, but it may also be that lumber is more expensive.”

I’m glad he mentioned that. We grow lettuce and we know that the cost of bringing a head of lettuce to the local supermarket is affected by oil prices from the very beginning to the very end. Fertilizer, cultivation, chemical, irrigation, cooling, packaging and transportation all uses, or is made from, oil.

For example, lettuce must be grown to get seeds. So as oil prices rise, seed costs rise. Similarly, the cost to grow that head of lettuce will rise with escalating oil prices. Costs all along the way, such as of cooling the lettuce and hauling it by truck to the docks, are influenced by rising oil costs.

The Matson transportation to Hawai‘i may cost only one cent more per head of lettuce. But hauling that head of lettuce from the dock to the wholesaler’s cooler, and further hauling to the store, all cost more as oil prices rise. Then the store lights and refrigeration costs go up as oil prices rise, too.

So as Paul Brewbaker points out, “It’s too simple to say that the fuel surcharge will lead to higher prices at the supermarket.” Lots of these costs take a little time to work their way through the system. But they will.

That’s what I was talking about when I wrote the blog post Frog in the Pot.

Community, Education, Hydroponics, Schools

Nawahiokalaniopu‘u

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Jimmy Naniole, of Nawahiokalaniopu‘u, the Hawaiian language immersion school in Kea‘au, brought some teachers for a tour of our farm the other day, so they could see firsthand what we do and how our farm operates.

We’re going to help Nawahi set up a hydroponic operation. We’ll provide help and assistance as needed, and if we can contribute used but functional equipment and supplies, we’ll do that. We like for youngsters to learn how to grow things.

When the Nawahi teachers were here, Kimo gave an orientation and told them why we do what we do. So now they have a good sense of what their plants will look like as they start producing a crop.

The teachers included Na‘ilima Gaison, Lei Franco, Poha Tolentino-Perry, Loke Rosequo and Pele Harmon.

 

Last week Jimmy took me on a tour of the Nawahi school grounds. I was last there maybe 10 years ago, when Jimmy was turning the outside area into a sustainable, organic operation. He was raising animals and plants and integrating them into the landscape. Water flowed from the roof of the school by a series of pipes above and underground, through a lo‘i (taro patch) and into a low spot, a pond. It was a real Hawaiian-style landscape.

At that time, Kimo took Jimmy some banana pulapula and now all of the bananas on the school ground are from those original plants.

Jimmy has retired since then, but the school has “called him back” to help with its nutrition program.

We’ve known Jimmy from his days at Hilo High School. One of his students at Hilo High was Henry Lovell, who is now our tomato field operation superviser.

When Jimmy was at Hilo High School, he taught by doing things in the old ways. He had students growing traditional plants, such as kalo and ‘uala, and even made an imu where the kids learned about roasting meat.

During that period, the Hokule‘a sailed from Radio Bay in Hilo to Rapa Nui, and Jimmy asked me if I could supply bananas for the journey. He pointed out that in just a few days the voyagers would be out of fresh fruit. So I set out to make the bananas last as long as possible by varying the maturity and variety we provided. We were happy to learn that the crew ate the last bananas as they crossed the equator.

We are happy to be working with Nawahi. The Hawaiians of old had a society that functioned well, and where trading and taking care of each other was part of the culture—and this is something that Nawahi teaches.

They are important lessons. We believe that as oil supplies decline and food prices continue to rise, people will need to grow more of their own food and trade with each other. As we move into a new era of alternate energy, and out of the “Era of Oil,” these are some of the things that we must again learn how to do.

This is why we are so pleased to be working with Jimmy again and with Nawahi.

Adopt-a-Class, Community

Adopted Class Excursion!

A beautiful packet of thank you letters just arrived from Keaukaha Elementary School. Its kindergarten students went on their first excursion sponsored by our Adopt-A-Class program — more specifically, sponsored by John and Linda Tolmie, who generously “adopted” the kindergarten students for the first semester of this school year.

“Mr. Ha and Mr. & Mrs. Tolmie,” wrote teacher Wendi Kimura and the kindergarteners in B1. “Words cannot express how thankful I am to have such special people like you in our lives. We would have NEVER been able to take our keiki on a field trip like this. This is a field trip that will not be forgotten. For myself, living in Hilo all my life, I have never pulled a carrot out of the ground or picked my own pumpkin from a patch. It was so heartwarming to see eyes light up with delight. I thank you for providing our keiki with these awesome experiences!”

Kindergarten teacher Sarah Uchida wrote, “Mr & Mrs. Tolmie and Richard Ha, Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to visit Kahua Ranch. We had so much fun picking carrots, picking our very own pumpkin, and getting dirty. Your generosity is very appreciated.”

They and kindergarten teacher Ruth Jarneski took their students to Kahua Ranch in Kohala. “They learned about farming and were able to pick their own carrots and pumpkins, which was a big thrill,” says Principal Lehua Veincent. “Even as rainy as it was that day, the children learned and had fun.”

We are thrilled to see our Adopt-A-Class program in action!

Articles

The Kohala Center Newsletter

Linda Copman interviewed Richard recently and then wrote Moving Forward by Looking Backward for The Kohala Center’s newsletter.

The Kohala Center is a non-profit organization that “identifies, welcomes, and supports high quality teaching and research programs in the following academic areas: global medicine, ocean sciences, environmental studies, and alternative energy. From the Island point of view, these programs should contribute to the healing of the human community, the human spirit, and the natural environment.”

They do some really interesting work, including sponsoring the Food Summit that Richard spoke at recently.

Have a look at the article about Hamakua Springs Country Farms. It’s really quite a good overview, encompassing:

• the farm’s start
• food security
• rising fuel prices and how that affects farming
• making the switch to alternate energy sources
• Hawai’i Island residents’ nutritional needs and how we can meet them here
• the importance of buying locally produced foods
• legislation to help farmers with farm loans for alternative energy projects, and more.

I got tired just reading about all that Richard is thinking and doing! She did a great job of capturing the big picture.

Contest

Contest Announcement!

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Start thinking about what delicious dishes you make with tomatoes—or creating some new recipes—because our second annual Tomato Recipe Contest is coming up in March.

Last year’s contest was a huge success, and a lot of fun.

We’re still firming up the details for this year’s contest, but we know that our judges from last year enjoyed it thoroughly and all of them are participating again:

• Hawai‘i Community College Chancellor Rockne Freitas
• UH Board of Regents Member Marlene Hapai
• Food Writer Sonia Martinez
• Food Writer Joan Namkoong
• HCC School of Continuing Education Program Director Randy Nunokawa, and
• Hawai‘i Tribune-Herald Food Columnist Audrey Wilson.

 

In addition, Wanda Adams, Food Editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, will be judging this year.

And we are waiting for confirmation that Chef Alan Wong will be able to participate this time.

For now we can tell you that it will be the first week of March, there will be good prizes, and that we’d love to have you participate. Again, students from the Hawai’i Community College Food Service program will prepare the top-ranking dishes for our judges to sample.

Last year’s overall Grand Prize winner was Candace Ames of Hilo. Her Hamakua Style Tomato Pie was beautiful, delicious and a huge favorite of the judges.

Roland Joseph Torres, of the television program Kama‘aina Backroads, taped the contest judging last year and it aired on OC16.

We can’t wait to see what you all have for us this year!

“It’s going to be good fun,” says Richard. “We can’t wait.”

Biofuel, Community, Eating Locally, Farm Stand, Peak Oil, Sustainability

Tour de Farm

I tagged along Saturday morning while Richard gave a really interesting farm tour to some University of Hawai‘i at Hilo students. They listened and asked questions and seemed very engaged.

Asisstant Professor Jon Price brought 12 of his Introduction to Environmental Studies students, and Assistant Professor Kathryn Besio brought a similar number from her Food and Societies course, which is offered through the university’s geography department. In addition, there were a couple students present from the Keaholoa STEM program.

Jon Price told his Environmental Studies students that they have covered agriculture, energy and biodiversity in class, and that during the tour he wanted them to think about how those subjects relate to each other, and come to some conclusions. I think Richard gave them a lot to work with.

He took them around the tomato packing house, the banana operation where Williams bananas were hanging in neat rows and to see the banana fields and some of the greenhouses.

“Everything you’re looking at now,” he told the students, motioning to the farm, “was planned five years ago. You’re not looking at today. You’re looking at yesterday.” He told them that he plans for five years out—or 10, or 20.

Yesterday, he explained—five years ago—oil was $30/barrel. Today it’s almost $100/barrel. He talked about how five years ago he was already thinking about sustainability and getting away from oil dependence.

He talked about how industrial agricultural—the big operations on the mainland—largely rely on oil for their refrigeration, packing, etc., which keeps up the prices of food that is imported to Hawai‘i. “Eventually,” he said, “as oil prices continue getting more expensive, and imported food prices keep increasing, local farmers will be in a better position.”

These days at the farm, he explained, they are working on “tomorrow.” He talked about the hydroelectric plant that’s in the works at Hamakua Springs, which will use the farm’s abundant spring and stream water to generate enough power to run 15 refrigerated containers around the clock.

And about biodiesel. Banana waste, supplemented with oil, can be turned into biodiesel fuel, he said.

He talked about working with the farm’s local community and having family units growing different produce at the farm. The farm will help, in terms of pest control and food safety, and if the produce is up to standards the neighbor farmers can market it at the upcoming Hamakua Springs farm stand.

He talked about the farm stand he’s opening soon, so farmers who work with Hamakua Springs will have an outlet for their products and so people from the community won’t have to drive into town as often.

He talked about the importance of knowing your neighbors, and trading, say, the ‘ulu you grow for whatever it is they have. He talked about how, in a future where gasoline prices are exorbitant, we might change our driving habits and our entertainment habits too, and entertain more at home by cooking big meals for family and friends.

Charlotte Romo, the farm’s hydroponics specialist, spoke a little about her background as a crewmember in the Biosphere, where they produced enough food on 1/3 of an acre to support 7-10 people.

She talked about the hydroponic system at the farm and how intensive it is. For instance, the farm uses 450 acres to produce four million pounds of bananas per year, as opposed to its 2 million pounds of tomatoes, which grow on only 15 acres.

Richard told them that before it was about making money; but now it’s about “How are we going to feed the people? We have 1.5 million people on this island. If we use hydroelectric and grow more food, we may be able to feed more people.”

“This is about common sense,” he said. “Look at the problem, and don’t get stuck on what others say.” He summed it up on an optimistic note: “It sounds grim, but the harder things are, the more opportunities come up.”

Hawai‘i is fortunate, Richard told the students, because we have sun energy all year long. “I recently attended a conference in Houston,” he said, “on peak oil, and when I left I didn’t have the nerve to tell the people there that we have energy from the sun all year long.”

Richard told the students he is confident that we can start educating people and making changes now to cope with an oil crisis that will gradually affect most aspects of our lives. “From what I see,” he said, “I feel the future is bright because of people from your generation.”