A Day on the Farm

 

“A Day on the Farm” Hopes to Bring Greater Awareness to Hawaii Kai

by L. Kae Graniel October 14, 2009

Judy Nii, joint owner of R&S Farms

Hawaii Kai is already a beautiful place to be, yet many local residents are unaware of the natural beauty in their own Kamilonui Valley. Judy Nii, joint owner of R&S Farms, and head of the Kamilonui Farmers Co-op, says she has met people who have lived in Hawaii Kai for more than 10 years who have never visited the valley and its nurseries or farms.

The Kamilonui Farmers Co-op, with the help of local community groups and organizations, aims to change all that with their big event “A Day on the Farm.” The event is planned for Saturday October 10th from 10AM – 2PM at the R&S Nii Farms, located at 938 Kamilonui Place. The day will include educational walking tours, door prizes, ono food, a farmers market, and games and a bounce house for kids. Teach-Ins, where the community will learn about the farmers’ plight, the dangers of overdevelopment, and the importance of Hawaii Kai’s watershed, will also be offered.

Representative Gene Ward became involved when first approached by the farmers in late 2007. A brainstorming session between the Co-op and his staff resulted in the concept of “A Day on the Farm.”

According Representative Ward:  “The first thing we came up with was a bumper sticker, ‘Keep the Valley Valley!’ But this was not enough to get the attention of the community about what was really going on with the farmers and the renegotiation of their leases. My office then held a Farmer’s Forum in the fall of 2008 that lead to a public discussion between the farmers and Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate. These farms are a valuable part of the Hawaii Kai community, and if we lose them, we’ll lose a part of our history as well as an extremely important component of our natural watershed, and no one - repeat, no one - wants another sub-division in Hawaii Kai, which, potentially, these farms could become. Most people in Hawaii Kai believe as I do, that we as a community are already over-developed and we really need our farmers and agricultural lands to remain as-is in perpetuity. The community has already risen up against any cabins on Ka Iwi, sharks in Maunalua Bay, lighting on Lunalilo Home Road and now it is the issue of our farmers that we’re hoping will be their next rallying point.  We all have a lot at risk because a sub-division, in place of the farmers, would mean the end of Hawaii Kai as we know it. Again, as previously stated, the farmland in the back of Kamilonui Valley is one of the best-kept secrets on Oahu.  The threat of this becoming a sub-division is even more remote in people’s minds. The wake up call of April 2010 renegotiations that puts all of this on the chopping block is what this event and consciousness-raising by the event is all about. When the renegotiations take place in April, the farmers are going to need as much community support as they can get. One should never underestimate the power of a community that bands together, especially this community. I fully believe this community can do absolutely anything it puts its mind to.”

 Judy Nii expresses that this is not a battle between the Bishop Estate and the farmers. The Kamilonui Farmers Co-op is grateful for the 600 acres they were parceled nearly 30 years ago. It is more about getting them to understand, when renegotiating, that the land has value that does not have a price, such as the value to the Maunalua Bay for beautiful, pristine water supplied by the water shed of the valley. The farmers understand that the cost of the lease will probably be more than it was in the past, they just want a lease that is feasible, so they can continue to support the community and eco system in the way nature intended. When the community shows they appreciate the farms, Nii hopes the Bishop Estate will see the whole picture and help support the continuation of preservation by offering a lease that is affordable to the farmers of Kamilonui Valley. 

As the event nears, Nii is excited and overwhelmed – in a good way – by the support the Co-op has received. She goes on to explain that the 13 farms could not have been able to pull this off alone. “Rep. Gene Ward’s liaison, Pam Kam and his assistant Beth Fukumoto have done so much between rallying community support and writing press releases. As well as securing door prizes from Sea Breeze for water activities, gift cards to Koko Marina Shopping Center from the Hawaii Kai Marina Community Association (HKMCA), Jamba Juice, and Cha Cha Cha Salsaria. And, the event will begin with a blessing by New Hope Hawaii Kai’s Aaron Cordeiro, with music provided by their band. We hope to see as many as 300 residents this Saturday, but we really have no idea what to expect since this has never been done before.”  Other non-profit groups such as the Ka Lui Coalition, Conservation Malama Maunalua, and Hawaii Kai Hui will be there to provide information and support. In addition to Rep. Gene Ward, Governor Lingle’s office confirmed that she will also attend the event.

“A Day on the Farm” is a free event, open to the public. Just follow the signs and volunteers will assist you with parking and direct you to the activities. Door prizes will be given away every half hour and guided tours will be given every hour on the hour, so get there early. The farms will also be offering special prices on their nursery items throughout the day.