Heroes of Agriculture, Food and Environment Awards
2010 Hawai‘i Agriculture Conference: Celebrating Change
We asked, and you answered! What an awesome response to a simple
widely distributed survey asking everyone whom they think is befitting
of these awards. Diversity abounds! We were looking for the behind the
scene heroes and wanted to be inclusive versus exclusive. Thanks all for
your help in finding and acknowledging many who remain key to the health
of our community. The Heroes of Agriculture, Food and Environment are
given in memory of A. James “Jim” Wriston III and supported by his
friends and partners: Stephen Nimz, Alan Gottlieb and Stephen Swift.
Announcing – and including the charming and heartfelt words of the
nominators – the 2010 Heroes of Agriculture, Food and the Environment.
Hawai‘i's Oldest Commercial Farm
Isaac and Gladys Kanoa, Taro Growers, Maui
This taro farm, and all the taro farms of Keanae, has been
perpetually growing taro since before the time of Kahekili (mid 1700s).
The Kanoa family has been taro farmers for generations. Before the turn
of the century the family also ran a poi mill in Keanae that closed in
the 1950s.
James Peterson Jr. and Alan Peterson, Petersons' Upland Farm, Oahu
It's been nearly a century (1910), and three generations, and
Petersons' Upland Farm continues to bless Wahiawa with fresh white and
brown eggs. They are the official egg supplier of Alan Wong's Pineapple
Room restaurant and Dot's in Wahiawa.
Next Generation Taking Over the Farm Operation
Shin Ho and Neal Ho, Ho Farms, LLC, Oahu
This sister and brother form an invaluable support team for their
family farm business. The Ho’s have established brand marketing with
sales to major retail food outlets (Foodland & Costco) and have taken
their family’s farm to the next level by employing conservation
practices on their farm, and becoming one of the first Food Safety
certified farms in the state.
Eric Tanouye, Green Point Nursery, Hawai’i
Eric consistently volunteers his time to advance the flower / nursery
industry by improving and forming new trade organizations that will
benefit the whole industry. Eric always tries to assist those who
request advice pertaining to industry related issues or problems. Eric
extends his support beyond the agricultural industry by bringing his
expertise and time to groups to help address concerns for lost
individuals needing assistance or various other community related
problems.
Sabrina White, Ponoholo Ranch, Hawai‘i
Sabrina helps her father run all aspects of the family ranch
including human resources, livestock inventory, production and sales.
She volunteers on several agricultural related boards within the state.
Sabrina is also an Ag Leadership alumnus, Class XII.
Employees that Support Farm Owners and Contribute to Farm Excellence
Ben Grice and Herman Calpito, Carmencita Calpito Pacific Produce
Inc., Maui
These three employees are the heart and soul of the everyday
operations and the reason for the overall success of our farm. Ben
handles every aspect of the operation with the energy and efficiency
that no one can match. Herman's positive attitude and solid reliability
and versatility anchor the rest of the crew. Carmen is responsible for
and carries out the most critical operation to the farms consistent
production.
Carolyn McNally and Shannon Gilbertson, Mountain View Anthuriums,
Hawai‘i
Caroyln and Shannon consistently provide excellent performance and
attention to detail. They never fail to show up to work and always
attempt to catch issues or mistakes before they manifest.
Cheryse Sana and Manny Miles, MA‘O Organic Farms, Oahu
Cheryse and Manny are the co-managers of MA‘O Organic Farms. While
only 21 and 26 respectively they provide excellent management to a
diversified organic farming operations and fulltime college prep
program. Under their management MA‘O is now one of the top 5 organic
farms in the State of Hawai‘i (by gross sales). They simply are the
future of agriculture in Hawai‘i.
Farmer-Entrepreneurs doing Business with Excellence
Lisa Asagi, Asagi Hatchery, Oahu
Asagi Hatchery Inc. is a family-run business, one of the first and
currently the only commercial chicken hatchery in the State of Hawai‘i.
Asagi Hatchery hatches chicks for small farms and sells to individuals
interested in raising chickens for food or as pets, sells eggs that are
fertile and ready for hatching, and sells urban garden and small farm
supplies.
Al Galimba, Kuahiwi Ranch, Hawai‘i
Al is a salt of the earth guy who is dedicated to raising natural
beef on Hawai‘i Island. He has been committed to his craft for more than
two decades, and he has persevered to get fresh, island beef into
supermarkets for his local communities.
Joel and Salvadore Gil, Coca Farm, Maui
The farmers Joel and Salvadore are hard-working men who work with
excellence. They are committed to organic agriculture. They work hard
and put in long hours preparing soil, planting, fertilizing, managing
insects and micro-life, sales, harvesting, packing, and delivering fresh
produce. Their lettuce is beautiful and healthy!
Tom Greenwell, Greenwell Farms, Hawai‘i
Tom loves the challenge of introducing new concepts in the field that
improve gourmet quality and productivity of Kona coffee. Greenwell Farms
has been instrumental in creating custom milling and processing for
smaller coffee farms and continues to support the small farmer. Tom is a
member of the Hawai‘i Coffee Association (president), Hawai‘i Coffee
Growers Association, Kona Coffee Council, Specialty Coffee Association
of America, Pacific Coast Coffee Association, Hawai‘i Organics Farmers
Association, Hawai‘i Leeward Planning Conference and the Kona Kohala
Chamber of Commerce.
Richard Ha, Hamakua Springs Country Farms, Hawai‘i
Richard is a pioneer who is constantly finding innovative ways to
stay ahead of the curve to operate his farm sustainably. He is dedicated
to his workers and thinks of them as family, and he works hard to build
a community among other farms, fighting for everyone's benefits in
agriculture.
Chris Kobayashi and Dimi Rivera, Wai‘oli Farms, Kauai
Chris and Dimi are examples of how ten years of perseverance can turn
a farm around. They went from poor quality soils, invasive grasses,
disease and apple snails to rich organic soils and beautiful, delicious
organic produce with very little pest and disease damage. This is food
people stand in line for every week at the local farmers market. As the
only organic commercial taro farmer in the state they have been an
inspiration to many other taro growers. The cover crop rotations and
other practices they have developed are unique to taro farming and it
shows in the quality of the food they provide to local tables.
Glenn Martinez, Olomana Gardens, Oahu
Glenn has helped 58 backyard gardeners start home aquaponic systems,
helped start five major aquaponic commercial farms, and has taught over
1,200 students via the UH Outreach College program and private lessons
at the Olomana Gardens Farm. Glenn has been a speaker at the last two
HAAA and IWAT conferences and shares his knowledge in affordable weekend
classes.
Gerry Ross, Kupa‘a Farm, Maui
Gerry is a wonderfully experimental, conscientious, eco-aware, smart
farmer. He has taken what were once monocrop lands and in 5 years has
produced a successful CSA, award winning coffee and a beautiful farm. He
shares his knowledge and passion freely, and is always exploring new
ways to innovate.
Dick and Heather Threlfall, Hawai‘i Island Goat Dairy, Hawai‘i
Dick and Heather raise their family of 100 goats by hand, naming each
one and caring for them as if the goats were their children. Their
commitment to excellence is reflected in their high-quality product.
They are dedicated to carefully raising their goats in a clean
environment to produce safe, wholesome food.
Food Business or School Doing Business with Excellence.
Lloyd Fischel, Lanikai Farms, Maui
With a partial grant from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and
SeaGrant, Lloyd designed and built an educational facility to teach
biological filtration. The facility is open to educators and the public
at no charge, and dozens of school classes have made field trips to be
encouraged to grow fish for consumption using ecologically friendly
techniques, and scaled for a footprint that can fit in most residential
yards. Lanikai Farms provides this service to the community for free.
Ed Kenney, Town & Downtown Restaurant, Oahu
Ed is a 110% supporter of local agriculture in far far more ways than
simply buying product. He has donated his time, staged special events,
provided technical expertise, given free food to youth, and has raised
over $125,000 in the past 4-years for MA‘O's youth programs.
Donna Mitts, Paauilo Elementary and Intermediate School, Hawai‘i
Paauilo School not only has a very productive school garden that
involves all the students in the care and maintenance and sale of fruits
and vegetables, but they also have a sheep, cattle, pig and goat
livestock operation. They participated in the Federal Fruits and
Vegetable program, providing a fresh fruit or vegetables to all
students, faculty and staff at the school. Donna’s goal is to teach
students how to produce healthy food and care for small-scale livestock
operations.
Vicki and Thomas Nelson, Puna Kamali‘i Flowers, Inc., Hawai‘i
Puna Kamali‘i Flowers, Inc. employs, trains and provides support to
special needs adults in our community that otherwise would not have
incomes or employment. These special needs adults gain self esteem,
confidence and pride through their work in the floral industry. Puna
Kamali‘i Flowers, Inc. is being nominated because of their tireless
dedication to improve and expand the opportunities and skills that their
special employees gain at work.
Environmental Supporters doing their Work with Excellence
Mark Cummings, Hawaiian Earth Products, Oahu
Hawaiian Earth Products is the largest producer of compost in the
State of Hawai`i. Recycling extends the life of our landfills. 85,000
tons of yard and tree trimmings are recycled through Hawaiian Earth
Products' two Oahu facilities annually.
Dr. Kioni Dudley, Friends of Makakilo, Oahu
Friends of Makakilo is a community organization for responsible
stewardship over the ‘aina. In 2005, Dr. Dudley formed the Friends of
Makakilo, which now has over 500 members working to keep Hawai‘i a green
and beautiful paradise. Last year, he led the successful campaign at the
Land Use Commission to save the Aloun farmland in ‘Ewa from development.
He recently brought more than 40 organizations together to form the Save
Oahu Farms Alliance to continue and extend this effort.
Home Le‘amohala, Onipa'a - Center for Sustainability / Optimum Living
Alliance, Maui
Home is up to date on the reality and need for sustainability and is
creating an educational sustainability center on the 20 agriculture
acres he leases. He is head of education on the upcountry sustainability
organization, has written and given informative speeches on this
subject, is super passionate about making a difference in the world and
sees the urgency of the times. He lives his life according to the truth
he knows and is great at presenting the information to the public.
Nancy Redfeather, Kawanui Farm, Hawai‘i
Nancy Redfeather of Kawanui Farms works tirelessly to promote and
teach sustainable food growing. She organized the Hawai‘i Island School
Garden Network and developed the annual Seed Exchange event to encourage
the saving of food plant seeds that grow well in the Islands. She has
led the way by organizing the Hawai‘i Island Food Summit to promote
sustainable agriculture with leaders of all agricultural sectors in the
islands.
Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association, Hawai‘i
The Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association’s Ka‘ūpūlehu Dryland Forest
Ho‘ola Ka Makana‘a program involves restoring an endangered 76-acre
dryland forest and sharing its historical, cultural, restoration, and
scie
ntific aspects with West Hawai‘i’s youth. Youth receive
hands-on, land-based, learning experiences to effect positive change in
the areas of responsibility, stewardship, and interdependency of all
living things. Site stewardship activities include planting seedlings,
collecting and distributing native seeds, building and enhancing trails,
and pulling invasive weeds.
Pacific Whale Foundation, Maui
Since it's creation in 2008 this program has connected over 4,000
volunteers to non-profit organizations serving the environment on Maui.
Both kama‘aina and malahini, these volunteers have removed invasive
plants, repaired sand dunes and native bird habitat and contributed to
the work of an upcountry organic farm. The marketing, reservations and
logistical support provided by the Volunteer on Vacation program makes
it possible for these smaller groups to give back to the places they
love to visit, while also meeting other like-minded people and learning
about the local environment and culture.
Government, Non-Profit, or Individual Supporter of Agriculture, Food
or the Environment
Chef Susan Teton Campbell, Maui
Ms. Campbell is a chef well known for not only creating beautifully
prepared, delicious food but also for teaching people how to eat well,
healthy, and local. She is an advocate for locally grown food, small
farmers, hunters and fishermen, and improving local health through the
food on our tables. She takes subtle flavors and fine cooking to new
heights and demonstrates Maui's potential to feed itself while
showcasing Maui's gifts to the world.
Stuart Funke-d'Egnuff, Tri Isle Resource Conservation and
Development, Maui
Stuart is the Executive Director for Tri Isle RC&D. He has helped Tri
Isle RC&D to acquire and operate a budget of about 11 million dollars in
grants to help Agriculture, Environment, Rural lifestyles and Hawaiian
culture. Tri Isle RC&D is now ranked in the top 10 performing RC&Ds in
the nation.
Desiree Hikuroa, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC),
Oahu
WCCHC is the primary sponsor of the Waianae Farmers' Market,
providing staff and personnel to manage the market and vendors and
providing free cooking demonstrations with free recipes and samples. The
Center’s dining pavilion, also known as Ka‘aha‘aina Café, also supports
local farmers by buying locally. WCCHC also hosts phonebook recycling
events and an annual Christmas Tree Recycling event as a means to
reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Dr. Kevin Hopkins, Pacific Aquaculture Resource Center at the
University of Hawai‘i-Hilo, Hawai‘i
Dr. Hopkins developed the aquaculture curriculum at the UH-Hilo
College of Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resources Management. He
established the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center in
Hilo, utilizing the old sewage treatment plant that otherwise would have
been demolished. The center has great potential as the premier
aquaculture and fisheries research and technology development center in
the world. He initiated the new sturgeon industry in Hawai‘i.
Ken Love, Executive Director Hawai‘i Tropical Fruit Growers, Hawai‘i
Ken has worked tirelessly and with enthusiasm to promote greater
diversification, sustainable production, and marketing of locally grown
tropical fruit and value added products. He has produced numerous fruit
posters, conducted market research on consumer tastes, and established a
demonstration fruit farm and agritourism attraction. He willingly shares
his knowledge on his impressive website: www.Hawaiifruit.net. He is on
the board of the American Culinary Federation chapter and works to
develop farmer-chef relationships.
Vincent Mina, Maui Aloha Aina, Maui
Vincent is an inspired and enthusiastic supporter of all things
agriculture. He founded the successful nonprofit Maui Aloha Aina (MAA)
organization in support of body and soil and was instrumental in
starting the Hawai‘i chapter of the Farmers Union. Through his radiant
personality, networking finesse, and extreme commitment to agriculture,
he has united--and ignited--the islands with his powerful message of
love for the land and all of its gifts.
Lydi Morgan, Hawai‘i Farmers Union (HFU), Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation
and Green House of Hawai‘i, Oahu
From working at the State Capitol, to helping develop an urban
environmental education program, to building our school gardens, to
leading the Oahu chapter of the Hawai‘i Farmers Union Lydi has been
there. If you had the chance to hear/feel her pule opening the last HFU
Oahu chapter meeting you would know how completely committed she is to
our ‘aina. And how prepared she is to carry the torch.
Norman Sakata, Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, Hawai‘i
One of many examples is Norman's inspiring role as president/chair of
the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival for the past thirty years. What
originally started out as a small grass roots organization, Norman has
helped grow into two hundred plus volunteers that orchestrate the
ten-day festival featuring over 40 events and attracting countless
visitors yearly in early November from across the United States, Canada,
Japan and Europe. Through Norman's efforts, the Festival has been lauded
in national publications, radio interviews and national television
coverage.
David Santistevan, Laulima Eco-friendly Alliance of Farms, Oahu
LEAF has brought together a constellation of partners in the
community to create an urban farm model at the Institute for Human
Services Family and Women's Ka'aahi St. Shelter. The IHS Urban farm is a
full service 'seed to table' project that includes a vertical herb wall,
permaculture-based edible ground landscape, and hydroponic and aquaponic
rooftop growing systems. This pilot project is an inspiring model of
connecting those most in need with a healthy food system and an
opportunity to learn basic farming skills in an urban setting.
Stephanie Whalen, Hawai‘i Agriculture Research Center, Oahu
Stephanie (Stevie) epitomizes what a supporter of Hawai‘i agriculture
should be. She is someone that always works to find commonalities among
members of the community, and she has worked to educate the population
about the importance of agriculture to the long-term sustainability of
Hawai‘i. Stevie's ability to communicate effectively with academics,
politicians, scientists, advocacy groups, business leaders, and her wide
range of employees has made her an integral part of Hawai‘i’s
agriculture for the last 40 years.
Dr. Lyle Wong, Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, Oahu
Dr. Lyle Wong is absolutely committed to promoting agriculture in
Hawai‘i and protecting our environment. He is a straight-forward
strategic thinker known for his innovative approach to problem solving
whether it be detecting or managing invasive pests, facilitating export
of agricultural commodities or promoting agricultural development. His
exceptional leadership skills have been recognized by his peers in other
states and agencies, by his colleagues in the Department of Agriculture
and by the agricultural community.
Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation (KHF), Oahu
KHF has a huge heart! Founded by Jack and Kim Johnson and run by a
small dedicated and energetic staff with the support of hundreds of
volunteers, KHF is helping to raise the next generation of healthy and
caring citizens for Hawai‘i. Their programs focus on health, fresh local
foods in schools, school gardening and nutrition education, farm field
trips, farmer and chef visits to schools, waste reduction, community
outreach, and more!
These awards are sponsored in memory of A. James “Jim” Wriston III,
by his friends and partners Stephen Nimz, Stephen Swift and Alan
Gottlieb. Jim, an Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i alumnus,
lifelong agriculturalist and entrepreneur, lived a short but very full
life. His friends remember Jim as a “really good guy” who liked to hang
with his family and friends, fish and drink beer. His fun approach to
life was liked by all. Jim’s entrepreneurial spirit and environmental
vision, his love for the land and his strong sense of right and wrong,
his respect for others and the strength of his word are all qualities to
be remembered as we honor others in this sector who contribute to its
sustainable growth