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| Ka`u Coffee is featured in a major story by Sunset Magazine in its January edition. |
SUNSET MAGAZINE FEATURES KA`U COFFEE in its January 2014 edition. The publication boasts more than a million subscribers. The story by travel writer Christopher Hall features small-business owners like Will and Grace Tabios, who operate a Na`alehu store and a farm with internationally award-winning Ka`u Coffee. The writer illustrates the Ka`u pace of life starting with the Tabios family:
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| Sunset Magazine points to kaucoffeefest.com for information about the annual event coming up May 2 - 11. Photo from kaucoffeefest.com |
The author drinks Ka`u Coffee at Hana Hou Restaurant and travels to Cloud Rest to visit the farm of Trini and Francis Marques, where they grow their own award-winning Ali`i Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee. The author writes about being at Cloud Rest. “I tell Trini that this place feels removed somehow from the real world.” He also quotes Trini Marques saying, “I believe it is sacred here,” and that she recounted that “with every tree she plants, she utters a silent prayer.” The author describes the many details on the farm taken care of by Francis Marques and writes, “The work is exacting, expensive and, Trini believes, crucial to producing quality coffee.”
The illustrations are by travel photographer Susan Suebert. Images include the iconic location photographed by almost everyone who goes to Cloud Rest – looking down on numerous Ka`u Coffee farms and Lorie Obra’s tiny coffee shack and out to the Pacific Ocean. Photos also include picking and processing, the drying floor at Ka`u Coffee Mill, the Flyin’ Hawaiian Coffee Truck, the inside of Will & Grace shop, the outside of Hana Hou and a table within.
The illustrations are by travel photographer Susan Suebert. Images include the iconic location photographed by almost everyone who goes to Cloud Rest – looking down on numerous Ka`u Coffee farms and Lorie Obra’s tiny coffee shack and out to the Pacific Ocean. Photos also include picking and processing, the drying floor at Ka`u Coffee Mill, the Flyin’ Hawaiian Coffee Truck, the inside of Will & Grace shop, the outside of Hana Hou and a table within.
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| The Sunset story says Ka`u Coffee work is exacting and expensive. Photo from kaucoffeefest.com |
The story takes readers to the farm of Lorie Obra and her award-winning Rusty’s 100 Percent Hawaiian Ka`u Coffee. It tells the story of coffee creating an economy after sugar shut down in 1996 and describes some of the risks such as fires that damaged orchards and the coffee berry borer threatening the crop. “And in a turn of events that resurrects the feelings of helplessness that arose when Big Sugar left, ownership of the leased coffee land has fallen to a big New York bank that’s looking to sell. For now the trees are flourishing and there is reasonable hope that the coffee borer can be managed and the coffee leases will be renewed. Either way, the people of Ka`u will take it as it comes,” the Sunset writer concludes.
The story ends with a quote from Lorie Obra: “Learning how to grow coffee has been important for Ka`u ... but maybe more important has been learning how resilient we are. We are gutsy, and we aren’t going away.”
In a separate section called Where to Fill Your Mug, Sunset suggests locations to visit. Under the category Taste, the writer recommends having a cup at Hana Hou with a slice of cream pie and enjoying Ka`u Coffee with Hawaiian sweet bread at Punalu`u Bake Shop. Under Shop, it recommends Ka`u Farmers Market, where Rusty’s can be purchased for $35 a pound. It also recommends Hawaiian Hula Hands at $41 a pound and The Rising Sun at $28 a pound. Under Tour, the article recommends Aikane Plantation Coffee Co., with a walk through the orchard and visit to the 1930s plantation house. It also recommends Ka`u Coffee Mill for touring the growing, processing and roasting operations and tasting at the visitor center.
The article also suggests Ka`u Coffee Festival: “The district goes full-tilt coffee crazy with the annual Ka`u Coffee Festival, ten days of tastings, tours and events, including the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant,” the story says. It points readers to www.kauoffeefest.com for information about the May 2 - 11 event.
For more, see www.sunset.com.
The story ends with a quote from Lorie Obra: “Learning how to grow coffee has been important for Ka`u ... but maybe more important has been learning how resilient we are. We are gutsy, and we aren’t going away.”
In a separate section called Where to Fill Your Mug, Sunset suggests locations to visit. Under the category Taste, the writer recommends having a cup at Hana Hou with a slice of cream pie and enjoying Ka`u Coffee with Hawaiian sweet bread at Punalu`u Bake Shop. Under Shop, it recommends Ka`u Farmers Market, where Rusty’s can be purchased for $35 a pound. It also recommends Hawaiian Hula Hands at $41 a pound and The Rising Sun at $28 a pound. Under Tour, the article recommends Aikane Plantation Coffee Co., with a walk through the orchard and visit to the 1930s plantation house. It also recommends Ka`u Coffee Mill for touring the growing, processing and roasting operations and tasting at the visitor center.
The article also suggests Ka`u Coffee Festival: “The district goes full-tilt coffee crazy with the annual Ka`u Coffee Festival, ten days of tastings, tours and events, including the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant,” the story says. It points readers to www.kauoffeefest.com for information about the May 2 - 11 event.
For more, see www.sunset.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
RESOLVE TO BE READY is one of the messages Gov. Neil Abercrombie is broadcasting to start the New Year. Yesterday he posted, “Winging it is not an emergency plan. I resolve to make sure my family is #Prepared2014.”
The message refers to ready.gov/prepared2014, which gives details on making emergency readiness plans, building a kit for disasters and supporting community businesses. It also gives templates for planning and protecting local businesses.
This year’s Resolve to be Ready campaign focuses on Family Connection to reinforce the importance of parents including their children in preparedness conversations in advance of potential disasters. The Ready campaign makes an emergency preparedness resolution easy to keep by recommending families consider these three ideas when making a plan: who to call, where to meet and what to pack.
This year’s Resolve to be Ready campaign focuses on Family Connection to reinforce the importance of parents including their children in preparedness conversations in advance of potential disasters. The Ready campaign makes an emergency preparedness resolution easy to keep by recommending families consider these three ideas when making a plan: who to call, where to meet and what to pack.
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| Originally from Pahala, Rowland Fujii is closing his koa craft business on O`ahu. |
The campaign includes age-appropriate tools and resources to introduce conversations about disaster preparedness to children on www.ready.gov/kids, including a downloadable family emergency plan, emergency kit checklists and guidelines on how to make preparedness a year-round family activity.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
A KOA CRAFTSMAN FROM PAHALA is closing his three-decades-old business on O`ahu due to illness. Rowland Fujii grew up in Pahala and founded RKF Enterprises in 1978 in Honolulu. Although Lou Gehrig’s disease has taken away use of his arms and hands, Fujii keeps his positive outlook. Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports his friend Judy Okawa saying, “He’s just always smiling. He doesn’t make an issue about anything – it’s just amazing. He’s a saint about it.”
RFK produces items for worldwide customers including corporations, the military and retailers. “I just loved to make special things for people that bring joy to their heart,” Fujii told the Star-Advertiser.
Fujii’s creations have included `Ilima and Na Hoku Hanohano awards made of koa, koa frames for Hawaiian flags, a gift to President George W. Bush from Admiral Fargo and many clocks, frames and marquetry items.
“I'm kind of sad about (closing),” the story quotes Fujii. “I just have to keep a positive attitude that I'm going to find somebody to continue my legacy.”
He said he is mainly concerned about his four employees who have worked for him for at least decades.
See staradvertiser.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KA`U ARTIST DON ELWING CELEBRATED the end of the year with the completion of his last Awareness Art piece of 2013. Entitled Halema`uma`u Hula Girl and measuring 24”x20”x3”, the piece is made from plastic marine debris Elwing cleaned from Kamilo beach in an effort to bring attention to the huge amounts of rubbish circulating in Hawaiian waters.
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| Halema`uma`u Hula Girl by Don Elwing |
A Hawai`i Wildlife Fund Beach cleanup at Kamilo is planned for Saturday, Feb. 8.
For more information about HWF, see wildhawaii.org.
For more information about HWF, see wildhawaii.org.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
THIS IS THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL VACATION. Teachers go back to work Monday, Jan. 6, and students on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Although Ka`u High classroom are empty, Trojan sports teams are busy. Soccer teams host Kea`au today with matches beginning at 2 p.m. They then play at Konawaena Saturday.
Tomorrow, boys basketball hosts Kamehameha at 6 p.m.
Also on Saturday, Honoka`a girls basketball team travels to Ka`u for a game at 6 p.m. Swimmers travel to KCAC, and wrestlers go to Kamehameha.
Also on Saturday, Honoka`a girls basketball team travels to Ka`u for a game at 6 p.m. Swimmers travel to KCAC, and wrestlers go to Kamehameha.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Ka`u High sports teams are busy during school vacation. Photo by Julia Neal |
THE FIRST STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT of 2014 takes place tomorrow. Volunteers meet at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply.
KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31.
SEE THE DIRECTORY 2013 from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
