 |
| The new film History of Kaʻū Coffee highlights local farmers competing internationally to build the brand. Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Festival |
A statement from the filmmakers says, "The History of Kaʻū Coffee shares the pioneering spirit and challenges of coffee growers in the state's largest agricultural region that sprawls windward to leeward on the southern half of Hawai'i Island." Videography is by Ruslan Kuznetsov and Hawaiian music is provided by the Keaiwa band of Kaʻū.
Short interviews with Kaʻū coffee growers and some of those who helped them achieve success illustrate the effort to create an award-winning coffee and establish Kaʻū as a premiere coffee region. Those featured include Trinidad Marques of Ali'i Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee; Merle Becker of Aikane Plantation; Joan Obra of Rusty's Hawaiian and Isla Custom Coffees; Brenda Iokepa-Moses, former land management analyst of Kaʻū Agribusiness; John Cross, former manager of Kaʻū Coffee Mill; and Manfredi who produced and directed the film, has been a broker for Kaʻū Coffee and heads up Hawai'i Coffee Association.
Using historic photos, and interviews of farmers, the film explains that the Kaʻū sugar industry provided the economic engine and infrastructure for everyday life in Kaʻū. When the last plantation closed in 1996, a group of residents turned to growing coffee, receiving help from Kaʻū's congressional delegation, the
 |
| The new film on Kaʻū Coffee history focuses on farmers and building of an international brand. Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Festival |
U.S. Department of Agriculture, state and county government and University of Hawai'i. Sugar workers and other community members made the transition from plantation system to private enterprise, the farmers learning to be in charge of their own success, and many of them winding up owning their own farms. The film also points to Ed Olson's creation of Kaʻū Coffee Mill as a place where farmers process their own coffee for their own labels and for sale to other brands.
The film touches on early challenges faced by Kaʻū Coffee growers, and focuses on the outreach to international marketing at the 2007 Specialty Coffee Association of America competition. Two of the Kaʻū Coffee entries placed sixth and ninth in the worldwide field of entries. The film quotes Manfredi saying on camera that "Kaʻū coffee became front page news and talked about within the international specialty coffee scene. This success brought a resurgence in community pride." The statement on the film says "farmers rolled up their sleeves and returned to their abandoned fields." Manfredi says, "We hired consultants who taught Kaʻū growers best farming practices, how to ID bean defects and store coffee." He added that the collective goal among the growers was to offer a higher volume of Kaʻū coffee to attract buyers. The statement on the film notes that "five subsequent SCAA
The Kaʻū Coffee Festival debuted in 2009 to promote and celebrate the now famous brew, its premium coffee origin and the Kaʻū District as a visitor destination. Footage in the new film recalls the festival offering opportunities to meet the growers and sample coffee, take a farm tour, learn how to brew coffee a variety of ways. It immersed participants in the community for more than ten days of activities like stargazing, a ranch tour and an indoor-outdoor ho'olaule'a celebration with local hula, Hawaiian music and local non-profits selling "broke-da-mouth food."
The statement from Kaʻū Coffee Festival says the film "is dedicated to the spirit of hard-working Kaʻū coffee growers—past, present and future—and ends with a message of hope for Kaʻū coffee farming to successfully continue in the verdant valleys of Kaʻū while keeping Kaʻū families connected to the land."
For info and additional 2022 virtual Kaʻū Festival offerings, visit www.KauCoffeeFest.com and follow Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter and Instagram. Support is provided by Hawai'i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program.
Kaʻū Coffee Festival also released a statement on its history: "Founded in coffee traditions dating to the 1800s—Kaʻū coffee burst onto the specialty coffee scene by winning numerous coffee quality awards. These accolades highlight the unique combination of people and place that makes Kaʻū coffee a favorite across the globe. Held annually, the mission of the Kaʻū Coffee Festival is to raise awareness of Kaʻū as a world-class, coffee-growing origin."
The statement from Kaʻū Coffee Festival says the film "is dedicated to the spirit of hard-working Kaʻū coffee growers—past, present and future—and ends with a message of hope for Kaʻū coffee farming to successfully continue in the verdant valleys of Kaʻū while keeping Kaʻū families connected to the land."
For info and additional 2022 virtual Kaʻū Festival offerings, visit www.KauCoffeeFest.com and follow Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter and Instagram. Support is provided by Hawai'i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program.
Kaʻū Coffee Festival also released a statement on its history: "Founded in coffee traditions dating to the 1800s—Kaʻū coffee burst onto the specialty coffee scene by winning numerous coffee quality awards. These accolades highlight the unique combination of people and place that makes Kaʻū coffee a favorite across the globe. Held annually, the mission of the Kaʻū Coffee Festival is to raise awareness of Kaʻū as a world-class, coffee-growing origin."
The film is dedicated to late Kaʻū Coffee growers Bull Kailiawa, Manuel Marques and Ruby Javaar.
See The Ka'ū Calendar in the mail and in stands from Volcano through Miloli'i. Also see stories daily on Facebook and at www.kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com.
TREECYCLING IS UNDERWAY FOR FOR LIVE CUT CHRISTMAS TREEES at locations operated by County of Hawai'i's Solid Waste Division of the Department of Environmental Management and Recycling Hawai'i. Dec. 26 through Jan. 20, residents leave trees at designated areas - not in rubbish chutes - during regular hours at all Solid Waste Division Facilities on the island except for Ocean View
Free the trees from decorations, stands, lights, tinsel and ornaments. Artificial and flocked trees are not treecycled. Flocked, artificial and trees with tinsel are not recyclable and may be disposed of in the regular trash chutes.
All commercial customers must recycle trees at either the East Hawai‘i Organics Facility in Hilo or the West Hawai‘i Organics Facility in Pu‘uanahulu. Residential loads that contain both green waste and trees will be required to scale. All commercial haulers or commercial holiday tree collectors must proceed to the County scale house prior to disposal.
The County recommends recycling Kadomatsu decorations with other greenwaste. Kadomatsu decorations are normally a combination of bamboo, pine and flowers. Kadomatsu is a tradition that began 600 years ago in Japan as a way of offering luck in the New Year.
For more information on Recycling in Hawai‘i County, visit www.hawaiizerowaste.org. Call Solid Waste Division Office at 961-8270.
See The Ka'ū Calendar in the mail and in stands from Volcano through Miloli'i. Also see stories daily on Facebook and at www.kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Christmas Lights & Icons Show brightens up the corner of Lehua and Palm in Ranchos at Ocean View every evening. See story at www.kaucalendar.com.
Holiday Lighting and Decor dress up the cottages at Kīlauea Military Camp for the public to see. See story at www.kaucalendar.com.
Christmas in the Country is ongoing until the New Year at Volcano Art Center Gallery and VAC's Ni’aulani Campus. See story at kaucalendar.com.
The Hiking Incentive Program at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park wraps up at the end of year. For the Kūkini Challenge, hikers, and walkers can turn in miles, recording them at the Visitor Contact Station for a chance to win a silver water flask and accolades for the fourth quarter of 2022.
FREE FOOD
St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View.
Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Masks and social distancing required.
Ka'ū Food Pantry Distribution, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 9:30 a.m. until pau at St. Jude's Episcopal Church above Kahuku Park in Ocean View. Sponsored by Hawai'i Island Food Basket.
'O Ka'ū Kākou Pantry Food Distribution, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 10 a.m. until pau at Ka'ū District Gym in Pāhala. Sponsored by Hawai'i Island Food Basket.
Cooper Center Community Pantry Food Distribution, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 9:30 a.m - 11 a.m. at 19- 4030 Wright Road in Volcano. Sponsored by Hawai'i Island Food Basket.
Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day, according to OKK President Wayne Kawachi.
 |
| See The Ka'ū Calendar in the mail and in stands from Volcano through Miloli'i. Also see stories daily on Facebook and at www.kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com. |
OUTDOOR MARKETS
Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.
Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.
Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.
'O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.
Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in the upper lot only. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.
Ocean View Swap Meet at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.
The Book Shack is open every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Kauaha'ao Congregational Church grounds at 95-1642 Pinao St. in Wai'ōhinu.
See daily, weekly, and monthly events, and more, on page 8 and page 9 of the monthly print edition.
