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| Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative and Olson Trust provide the float for the Miss Ka`u Coffee contenders in the Merrie Monarch Parade yesterday in Hilo. Pageant is Friday, April 26. Photos by Julia Neal |
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| Genevieve "Jon" Cran with her Kapapala Ranch team is Pa`u Queen for Merrie Monarch. |
Kapalala Ranch grand dame Genevieve “Jon” Cran rode on horseback as Pa`u Queen with her ranch manager, Lani Petrie, and their lei-bedecked horses and riders.
The Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative put together a float on a Ka`u Coffee Mill truck decorated with McCall’s flowers, branches of red coffee cherries and other foliage. Four coffee princesses, Kawailani Houvener, Seneca Lee Oleyte, Rachel Ornelas and Tiare-Lee Shibuya, represented the coffee industry in Ka`u along with Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative president and past-president Gloria Camba and Lorie Obra. Also on the float were pageant artistic director Nalani Parlin and award-winning Ka`u Coffee farmer Willie Tabios. Assisting with the float were Efren Abellera and his daughters, Layla, Elisa and Erica, Bong Aquino and driver Leonardo Castaneda and his wife Jackie. The Miss Ka`u Coffee pageant is Friday, April 26 at Ka`u Coffee Mill. The Ho`olaulea is Saturday, April 4 at Pahala Community Center.
The Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative put together a float on a Ka`u Coffee Mill truck decorated with McCall’s flowers, branches of red coffee cherries and other foliage. Four coffee princesses, Kawailani Houvener, Seneca Lee Oleyte, Rachel Ornelas and Tiare-Lee Shibuya, represented the coffee industry in Ka`u along with Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative president and past-president Gloria Camba and Lorie Obra. Also on the float were pageant artistic director Nalani Parlin and award-winning Ka`u Coffee farmer Willie Tabios. Assisting with the float were Efren Abellera and his daughters, Layla, Elisa and Erica, Bong Aquino and driver Leonardo Castaneda and his wife Jackie. The Miss Ka`u Coffee pageant is Friday, April 26 at Ka`u Coffee Mill. The Ho`olaulea is Saturday, April 4 at Pahala Community Center.
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| Hawaiian Civic Club members meet Studio of Sticks & Stones artists, of Wai`ohinu, at Merrie Monarch yesterday. |
Hawaiian Civic Club members joined the Merrie Monarch Parade, most on foot and some in a classic car. The Ka`u contingent was led by president Blossom DeSilva.
Lorie Lee Lorenzo and Leon Chow joined the Aloha Riders with their horses.
Thy Word Ministries – Ka`u joined Thy Word members from around the island with song, hula, and praise with two floats and a walking group.
In the arts and crafts displays, Emily Herb, of Volcano, displayed her pottery; Larry Ka`upu, of Green Sands, showed jewelry and Hawaiian carvings; and Jamie Gilmore had paintings and jewelry for sale. The Gomes family, with sons Jeff and Robin, father Bobby and mother Phoebe, offered koa-dyed hats and woodworks.
Lorie Lee Lorenzo and Leon Chow joined the Aloha Riders with their horses.
Thy Word Ministries – Ka`u joined Thy Word members from around the island with song, hula, and praise with two floats and a walking group.
In the arts and crafts displays, Emily Herb, of Volcano, displayed her pottery; Larry Ka`upu, of Green Sands, showed jewelry and Hawaiian carvings; and Jamie Gilmore had paintings and jewelry for sale. The Gomes family, with sons Jeff and Robin, father Bobby and mother Phoebe, offered koa-dyed hats and woodworks.
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| Leon Chow, of Kapapala, and Lorie Lee Lorenzo, of Pahala |
HALAU FROM O`AHU TOOK FIRST PLACE in all categories of Merrie Monarch hula competition among halau. Kawaili`ula, of Kailua, took overall, kane overall, kane kahiko and kane `auana awards. Halau Mohala `Ilima, of Ka`ohao, won wahine overall and wahine kahiko. Wahine `auana went to Keolalaulani Halau `Olapa O Laka, of Kane`ohe.
Halau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani, of Hilo, placed third in kane overall, fifth in wahine `auana, forth in kane kahiko and third in kane `auana.
KA`U RESIDENTS INSPIRED BY MERRIE MONARCH can take classes with Sammi Fo every Tuesday in Ocean View at the corner of Tiki and Princess Ka`iulani. Students with more than one year’s experience meet at 4:15 p.m. and beginning to first-year students meet at 4:15 p.m. Call 990-3292 for more information.
THE STATE OF HAWAI`I is investing $200,000 in a zero waste biofuel and high protein animal feed program that uses unmarketable papaya as a feedstock, according to a statement from Gov. Neil Abercrombie. The research and development funds will assist USDA Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo in moving the project to pilot scale as a prelude to commercial production, and the state Agribusiness Development Corporation will become a venture partner to globally export the technology in association with PBARC and Florida-based BioTork Hawai`i, LLC.
According to the statement, PBARC, along with BioTork Hawai`i, LLC, have invested more than $1 million in the project. The conversion process takes 14 days to cycle in a heterotrophic environment, in which no sunlight is needed, using organically optimized algae/fungi developed and patented by BioTork.
“This patented evolutionary technology is unique to the marketplace and places Hawai`i in a leading position in the area of biofuel and feed research,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “With this technology, farmers can turn agricultural waste into an additional revenue stream, and local production of biofuel can lower dependence on Hawai`i’s import of fossil fuels.
“Aside from the benefit of producing biofuel, this technology has the ability to create another revenue stream for papaya and other tropical agriculture farmers. Local high protein feed production – another by-product of this process – can greatly benefit cattle, hog, chicken and aquaculture farms through competitive market pricing.”
The state also hopes to develop a long-term revenue generator as a partner exporting this technology. At full scale, more than 1,000 jobs are projected.
While papaya was chosen as the initial feedstock, the technology can be applied to any plant material as a carbon source, the statement contends. In Hawai`i, other identifiable feedstock are unmarketable sweet potato, sugar cane, mango and glycerol. Invasive trees like albizia could also be used as feedstock.
James Nakatani, ADC executive director, said, “This Hawai`i-based technological development is a major breakthrough that focuses on key components hampering the sustainability efforts of other microorganism-based biofuel projects. These obstacles include the high cost of feedstock. Approximately 70 percent of the cost for production is consumed in this area. Using unmarketable plant and other waste materials drastically reduces this cost driver.
“While past lab projects have not translated into robust performances when scaled-up, BioTork’s solution promotes rapid and dynamic evolution of microorganisms that are robust even in ‘suboptimal’ conditions.”
DRAFT MATERIALS FOR KA`U Community Development Plan, which were released last week, discuss Ka`u’s natural and cultural resources and their challenges. The materials say Ka`u’s kula, or agricultural, resources provide important ecosystem and
community services including fresh water supply; hydrological regulation; groundwater recharge; water quality improvement; soil conservation; near shore water protection, including reduced sedimentation and nonpoint source pollution; hazard mitigation, such as less flooding through increased mauka recharge and slower downslope flow; food; energy, such as, hydroelectric and biofuel; lumber and wood for artisans; carbon sequestration by soil and vegetation; and aesthetics, including open space, natural beauty and view planes.
One of the challenges in managing kula resources, according to the draft CDP, is idle land. The draft says that over 70 percent of the land zoned for agriculture in Ka`u is not being utilized for agricultural purposes.
Other challenges listed are vog, lack of an adequate water supply and/or tenure and lease uncertainty, which for some farmers limits planning, investment and expansion.
Nonpoint Source Pollution is another challenge mentioned. The draft CDP says that, in the central region of Ka`u, storm runoff descends from steep slopes, causing flooding and depositing sediment and debris makai. Ka`u’s primary agricultural nonpoint source pollutants are nutrients (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment, animal wastes, pesticides and salts.
Ka`u CDP draft materials will be discussed at the Steering Committee meeting Tuesday at Pahala Community Center beginning at 8:30 p.m.
Draft Ka`u CDP documents are available at hawaiicountycdp.info/kau-cdp.
LOOKING FOR LAVA IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES—and Finding It in Some is the topic presented by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Don Swanson at After Dark in the Park Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. According to Swanson, most eruptions and intrusions at Kilauea take place within the summit caldera or the two ri ft zones. Some, however, occur elsewhere or have trends not readily explainable by this standard model.
Though unusual, these eruptions and intrusions tell much about the internal plumbing of Kilauea and its evolution during the past tens of thousands of years. Swanson elaborates on this theme in a partly factual, partly speculative, broadly based alternative view of Kilauea. $2 donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
KA`U RESIDENTS INSPIRED BY MERRIE MONARCH can take classes with Sammi Fo every Tuesday in Ocean View at the corner of Tiki and Princess Ka`iulani. Students with more than one year’s experience meet at 4:15 p.m. and beginning to first-year students meet at 4:15 p.m. Call 990-3292 for more information.
THE STATE OF HAWAI`I is investing $200,000 in a zero waste biofuel and high protein animal feed program that uses unmarketable papaya as a feedstock, according to a statement from Gov. Neil Abercrombie. The research and development funds will assist USDA Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo in moving the project to pilot scale as a prelude to commercial production, and the state Agribusiness Development Corporation will become a venture partner to globally export the technology in association with PBARC and Florida-based BioTork Hawai`i, LLC.
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| Ka`u Hawaiian Civic Club members ride in style. |
“This patented evolutionary technology is unique to the marketplace and places Hawai`i in a leading position in the area of biofuel and feed research,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “With this technology, farmers can turn agricultural waste into an additional revenue stream, and local production of biofuel can lower dependence on Hawai`i’s import of fossil fuels.
“Aside from the benefit of producing biofuel, this technology has the ability to create another revenue stream for papaya and other tropical agriculture farmers. Local high protein feed production – another by-product of this process – can greatly benefit cattle, hog, chicken and aquaculture farms through competitive market pricing.”
The state also hopes to develop a long-term revenue generator as a partner exporting this technology. At full scale, more than 1,000 jobs are projected.
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| Thy Word Ministries-Ka`u joined other churches with song, hula and praise at Merrie Monarch Parade. |
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| Jamie Gilmore, right shows off her jewelry and paintings. |
“While past lab projects have not translated into robust performances when scaled-up, BioTork’s solution promotes rapid and dynamic evolution of microorganisms that are robust even in ‘suboptimal’ conditions.”
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| Miss Ka`u Coffee 2011-2012 Brandy Shibuya helps with the float for the new candidates yesterday. |
community services including fresh water supply; hydrological regulation; groundwater recharge; water quality improvement; soil conservation; near shore water protection, including reduced sedimentation and nonpoint source pollution; hazard mitigation, such as less flooding through increased mauka recharge and slower downslope flow; food; energy, such as, hydroelectric and biofuel; lumber and wood for artisans; carbon sequestration by soil and vegetation; and aesthetics, including open space, natural beauty and view planes.
One of the challenges in managing kula resources, according to the draft CDP, is idle land. The draft says that over 70 percent of the land zoned for agriculture in Ka`u is not being utilized for agricultural purposes.
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| Emily Herb, of Volcano, with her `Apapane Pottery at Merrie Monarch. |
Nonpoint Source Pollution is another challenge mentioned. The draft CDP says that, in the central region of Ka`u, storm runoff descends from steep slopes, causing flooding and depositing sediment and debris makai. Ka`u’s primary agricultural nonpoint source pollutants are nutrients (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment, animal wastes, pesticides and salts.
Ka`u CDP draft materials will be discussed at the Steering Committee meeting Tuesday at Pahala Community Center beginning at 8:30 p.m.
Draft Ka`u CDP documents are available at hawaiicountycdp.info/kau-cdp.
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| The Gomes family with koa-dyed hats and woodwork. |
Though unusual, these eruptions and intrusions tell much about the internal plumbing of Kilauea and its evolution during the past tens of thousands of years. Swanson elaborates on this theme in a partly factual, partly speculative, broadly based alternative view of Kilauea. $2 donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.
