Hurricane

Hurricane Iselle: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday

Richard Ha writes:

Hilo is all boarded up with very few cars on the road. Here's Kamehameha Avenue, downtown.

There's very little wind at this point. It's relatively calm at the farm, but the river and flume are pumping.

The banana leaves are not shredded yet.

It's now 7:21 and it's relatively quite in Hilo.

As Hurricane Iselle approaches the Big Island, it seems part of its outer bands went north to Waimea, and part went south to Puna.

We are waiting for the storm to hit the island head on in a couple of hours. We'll see what happens.

Hurricane

Hurricane Iselle: 11 a.m. Thursday – Preparing

Richard Ha writes:

We're wrapping up here at the farm. We tied things down, protected them from rain, and everyone will go home by noon. 

We did the major prep work 15 years ago when we put in our windbreaks. We knew that we needed to protect from north and south winds, which meant we needed to plant windbreak rows on the east and west.

But it was more than just that. We knew that at our latitude the sun lies somewhat to the south. So we put  windbreaks on the south side of the existing roads. That way, the shadow from the windbreak falls on the road, instead of on the plants. Modern farming is all about the physical sciences. 

Back then, we had no wind protection at all. Now, the eucalyptus we planted as our windbreaks are  pushing 70 feet tall. 

Bananas, Hurricane

Hurricane Iselle: The Night Before

1 Comment

Richard Ha writes:

I have been a banana farmer for many years and I have seen the exact moment when all the bananas snap off the trees.

It happens all at once. The wind gets stronger and stronger and you can feel the strain. And then, somewhere around 55 mph, all the bananas snap at once. One second before they were all standing, and then the next, you can see in all directions where formerly banana trees blocked the view. 

Not many have seen that happen, but I have. I hope I don't see it again.

Bananas

Science

Over The Top Anti-GMO Writer

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Richard Ha writes:

Mike Adams runs the anti-science, anti-biotech Natural News.com and he had a whopper of a post recently, even for him. He has lots of websites and makes lots of money from scaring people, but condoning the murder of pro-GMO supporters is over the top, and the anti-GMO movement should be careful not to be used by this nut case.

From Genetic Literacy Project:

FBI turns up heat on Mike Adams as ‘Health Ranger’ fiasco widens, plus Adams’ archive

Jon Entine | July 28, 2014 | Genetic Literacy Project

Last week, Mike Adams, the founder and editor of NaturalNews.com–a favorite site of Dr. Oz and anti-GMO campaigners, from Vandana Shiva to Center for Food Safety’s Andrew Kimbrell to the Food Babe to Jeffrey Smith, but also dubbed by scientists and journalists as the number one anti-science site in cyberspace–launched an all out offensive against crop biotechnology.

Adams posted a screed on his website (since sanitized by Adams; we’ve included link to the pre-censored version) attacking supporters of genetic engineering as modern day Nazis, suggesting that anti-GMO activists should consider murdering scientists and journalists for their crimes against humanity. Adams then alerted readers to another site, Monsanto Collaborators, which was more or less a handy online list of these so-called ‘Nazi perpetrators”–aka scientists, journalists and news organizations that believe biotechnology can play a constructive role in farming–for crazies who might want to follow Adams’ marching orders and begin assassinations. I was prominently mentioned by Adams, no doubt because of the scathing Adams profile and fact sheet summary GLP posted in April….

Read the rest here

Science

Interview 4: Is Roundup Safe?

Richard Ha writes:

Having farmed for 35 years, I have seen herbicides become safer and safer for both people and the environment.

This video is the fourth in my series of short, expert interviews with Dr. Shane Burgess, who is dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona.

In this segment, I ask Dr. Burgess to talk about whether or not Roundup is safe.

See previous video interviews with Dr. Burgess here:

Education, Mauna Kea, Science

Thirty Meter Telescope Receives Final Approval!

Richard Ha writes:

Today the Land Board approved the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). That's the final word. It's over.

Along with several others, I attended the Land Board meeting today in Honolulu where they heard testimony. Then they went into executive session and made their decision. 

It's hard for me to find the words to say how important this is.

Last night I attended a presentation at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of students from about ten different high schools from around the world. Each gave a scientific report and they were so high-level they were just mind-boggling. One was some kids from India describing how to measure the mass of the Milky Way. They went into every little step of how a planet forms and dies, and it was evident they hadn't memorized anything, they actually knew it. It gives you so much faith in human beings and their ability to think and do these kinds of great things.

There was also a presentation by high school students from Keaukaha on how to make a koa and fiberglass canoe. It was much more involved than I would have thought. And a robotics team from Kalani High School that was made up of three girls. One of them told the audience that before she got involved in robotics she was very shy. But now, through robotics, she has discovered a passion for teaching small kids and especially girls. She raised her hand and said, "YES!!" It's amazing to see students achieving what they didn't think they could achieve. 

The Thirty Meter Telescope sponsored this event at ‘Imiloa. There are all sorts of interesting things going on, which we don't necessarily know are happening, because of the Thirty Meter Telescope and its commitment to education.

YES!!

Here is the testimony I gave this morning to the Board of Land and Natural Resources:

Aloha, everyone,

I have been involved with the TMT project from the beginning and decided to support it because of TMT's efforts to do the right thing for our Big Island. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. A project like the TMT will never come our way again. The benefits to the Big Island's young people – not just today's generation, but future generations too – is enormous.

The TMT is giving $1 million dollars annually to The Hawaii Island New Knowledge (Think) fund. The annual installments begin next month and last through the ten years of construction and the 50 years of viewing time.  

The Big Island has the lowest median family income in the state, and education is the best predicted of family income. The TMT partner's contribution is strictly discretionary spending. It is money out. There is no money coming in. If we stretch the waiting period too far, we could lose the whole project. 

Time is of the essence. Please do not jeopardize this education fund for our young people.  

Aloha,

Richard Ha

President, Hamakua Springs Country Farms and its 70 workers.

Also representing the Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United. This grass roots organization represents 90 percent of the farm value produced on the Big Island

Also, President of the Big Island Community Coalition. Its steering committee members in their private capacities are:

Dave DeLuz, Jr., President, Big Island Toyota
Rockne Freitas, Former Chancellor, Hawaii Community College
Michelle Galimba, Member, Board of Agriculture and Ka'u rancher
Richard Ha, President, Hamakua Springs Country Farms
Wallace Ishibashi, Former Chair Big island Labor Alliance, DHHL commissioner. 
Kuulei Kealoha Cooper, Trustee of Kealoha Trust
D. Noelani Kalipi, Former Staffer for Senator Akaka. Helped to write the Akaka Bill.  
Ka‘iu Kimura, Executive Director, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center
H.M. Monty Richards, Kama‘aina Cattle Rancher
Marcia Sakai, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, UH Hilo
Kumu Lehua Veincent, Principal of Kamehameha Schools, Hawai‘i Island campus
William Walters, President, W.H. Shipman., Ltd.

Articles, Science

Interview 3: 99.9% of Species Ever on Earth Are Extinct Now

Richard Ha writes:

The third in my series of expert interviews.

This is Dr. Shane Burgess again, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona, talking this time about how 99.9 percent of all species that ever lived on the earth are now extinct. It's  3 minutes and 20 seconds long. Very interesting; have a listen.

 

Science

Interview 2: Are GMOs Safe?

Richard Ha writes:

Shane Burgess is dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at The University of Arizona. I was sitting next to him when there was a discussion about endangered species, and I was impressed with his knowledge of and passion for the subject.

I asked him, in this interview clip, to speak on whether or not GMOs are safe. I was impressed with how clearspoken and easy to understand he is.

Mauna Kea, Peak Oil

OHA Will Not File Contested Case Hearing

Richard Ha writes:

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees decided against filing a contested case hearing about the Thirty Meter Telescope.

Five of us flew over from the Big Island to testify at the OHA meeting. We were all concerned about the possibility of losing the education and employment opportunities that the TMT will bring to future generations. 

I was very impressed at the power of the testimony of the group from the Big Island. Wally, Nani, Herring and Bill’s testimony was eloquent, from the heart, powerful, and simple. I was very proud to be a part of this group of strong, community-minded people.

People

Left to right: Bill Brown, Herring Kalua, Wallace Ishibashi, Nani Kahea, and myself

After we testified, the OHA Trustees went into deliberations, and a few hours later we received word that the Trustees decided not to file a request for a contested case hearing.

Here is the testimony I gave:

Aloha trustees.

Please do not initiate a contested case hearing. Several things happened recently that could have a strong bearing on your decision.

My name is Richard Ha. I am a farmer on the Big Island and our family and our workers have produced more than a hundred million pounds of fruits and vegetables over the last 35 years. My family is Kamahele from lower Puna.

I was the only person from Hawai‘i to have attended five Association for the Study of Peak Oil (ASPO) conferences. I went because I wanted to learn about oil and how we could adapt to a world of rising oil costs.

Albert Bartlett, a professor of physics and a member of ASPO, said the greatest failing of humankind is its inability to understand the exponential function.

If someone stood in the middle of Yankee Stadium at 12:00 noon with an eye dropper, and started a drop of water and doubled it every minute and you were handcuffed to a chair at the top, how many minutes woukd you have to escape? The answer is 50 minutes. At what time would the stadium still be 93 percent empty? 12:45! At that point, the water would only be 5 feet high and hardly anyone would be aware that there was a serious problem ahead in just five minutes. That is the nature of compound growth.

Several weeks ago, the Energy Information Agency, the government agency that keeps track of energy information, said the Monterey Shale, consisting of two-thirds of the nation's oil reserves, was downgraded to just four percent of its previous estimation. The nation's total oil reserve supply before the announcement was estimated to be 100 years.  This means that our oil reserves is estimated to last somewhere around 34 years, and only if the price is high enough can we get all of it. So, if oil supply is limited, the price will eventually rise. 

The problem is that at $150 per barrel oil, our tourism industry will be hit hard. At $200 per barrel oil, an IMF economic team modeling that situation could not model any further because they were in uncharted waters. I heard the team leader, Michael Kumhoff say at the last ASPO conference that the results would be utterly improbable. Utterly improbable??? Scary words coming from an economist. 

My good friend Robert Rapier, a well-respected chemical engineer who has been on 60 Minutes and many news and magazines, gave his take on British Petroleum's recent annual report. He basically said that if it wasn't for the shale oil and gas boom in the U.S., the world would already be going down the backside of the oil supply curve. And if not for that, we could already have been seeing $150 to $200 per barrel oil.  That was just last week!

Will the shale gas and oil boom last? In the data from 19,000 oil and gas wells, we see that the average shale oil and gas well lasts only five years. Clearly that is not sustainable. In contrast, the Saudi old oil finds have lasted for more than 50 years. Things have clearly changed.

So, what happens if China, India and other countries start to become worried that we have economic trouble ahead? The Chinese know that you cannot be king if you cannot feed the people. Would they cut funding for the TMT? There is a strong possibility they and other countries would. The TMT represents money going out and no money coming in.

I was on the TMT subcommittee of the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, so I was involved from the start. I volunteered because I was determined that if it was going to be done, it should be done right. Henry Yang, the new president of the TMT, was a good guy that you could do business on a handshake. He flew in to the Big Island 15 times and never talked to the press. He met with the people on the ground. The last trip he asked me where they should  go since they had a couple of hours. I suggested we go to Kupuna Day at Keaukaha. When we got there, the people were so used to him and Jean Lou Chameau, president of Cal Tech, visiting them, they just said, Come, come, come, go eat, where you guys going?

From meeting with the people, Henry Yang came to find out that the lowest common denominator that folks on all sides of the issue could agree ok was Keiki education. That is how the THINK $1 million annual education fund was born.

One of the most important principles I learned came from Kumu Lehua Veincent, former principal of Keaukaha Elementary school. When I first got involved, I suggested to him that we could ask the TMT folks to give his students five full-ride scholarships to the best schools in the nation. He thought about it a few minutes and then he said these profound words. He said simply: "What about the rest?"

And that is what this decision is all about. What about the rest?

Aloha