Locally sourced veggies from Ma’o Organic Farms
“Food is the unifying fabric of humanity, connecting us to the earth and each other.” – Ed Kenney, chef/owner at Town Restaurant in Kaimuki.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Food is what keeps us alive and, with the right food, is what keeps us healthy. If we are going to talk about sustainability we should be talking about food. In the next few installments of Sustainability Studies we are going to talk about food in Hawaii.
The Hawaiian Islands are natural-resource-rich islands. For example, in my backyard alone I have so many papaya trees that I have to give fruit away to keep from wasting any. I don’t even have to water those trees for them to keep producing fruit. On the island of Oahu (possibly not even the island with the most fertile soil in Hawaii) we have a lot of local farms with quality fruits and vegetables, many of them being organic. However, the islands are still heavily reliant on outside food sources. It’s hard to see chickens roaming the roads and beaches on the North Shore yet when I go to buy eggs, the cartons are all stamped with that infamous “mainland” stamp.
What can we do to create a more sustainable food system in Hawaii? It all comes down to going local.
1. Support local farms and fishermen. Go straight to the source whenever possible or sign up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box, delivered full of fresh, seasonally and locally grown fruits and veggies.
2. Grow your own food whenever possible and swap with neighbors if you can to get a good variety.
3. Go to farmer’s markets. Every section of Oahu has a farmer’s market at least once each week. They are often cheaper than buying from the grocery store and are much more fresh and tasty. BONUS: they are usually a good spot to get to know people in your community.
4. When eating out, eat at restaurants that cook with locally sourced, organic foods. Keep a lookout for “farm-to-table” restaurants.
After all, there is nothing more satisfying than the benefits of eating food that you put work into, drinking from a fresh, local coconut, or biting into a ripened apple banana.
English: Papaya (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Do you have any ideas for going local and supporting sustainable food systems? Comment below.
Related articles
- Papaya Nightmares: A Farmer Struggles Amid Hawaii’s GMO Debate (civilbeat.com)
- The Local Food Movement (pineapplesummer.wordpress.com)
- Former Papaya King Moves On to Farm Fresh Food (inc.com)
- Eat Fresh All Year: A Guide to Seasonal Cooking (everydayhealth.com)
Sustainability Studies 