Today we left chilly Volcanoes National Park and ended at Waimea with just about the same temperature, which is a nice change for those of us from much warmer areas. Our first stop was at Richard Ha's farm in Honoka'a called Hamakua Springs Country Farm. Richard gave us a great "101" on the economics of farming focused on driving energy costs down to become more competitive and sustainable.
He also showed us the riches of his farm, including beautiful beefsteak and grape tomatoes. Aren't they gorgeous?!
We then saw his latest experiment -- raising tilapia. The tilapia looked really good and ready to eat! The gravity- and rain-fed tanks and pond show much promise.
Jim taught us so much about the realm of agriculture + tourism, value-added marketing, and the value of having strong communication skills while pursuing a dream.
His product, the white, creamy honey, was out of this world! No wonder it is in high demand all over the world!
Richard had so many stories to tell that choosing even one is hard, but suffice to say we were mesmerized with what he had to say and wished him very well as he moves on to the next chapter of his life.
Perhaps with honey, there is a chance for world peace. (See the peace signs in each honeycomb.)
Learning about white honney was a lot of excitement. I finally found out that a store at Poipu has it. I got one for $20. I'll pay even more if I have to. It was delicious!
ReplyDeleteAt the Vanilla company I really had the chance to appreciate how "value added" concept can be very profitable! No doubt that Jim has the right skills to move forward and the background!
ReplyDeleteAlso not to mention that the economic 101 that we got from Richar Ha was very valuable. I loved his infrastructure and how he manages to stay profitable with the high cost of utilities!
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