Hello from Hawaii/Kentucky

[drylandfish]

Hello everyone!

Just discovered this forum through a search for a specific seed, finding a nice discussion of it here.

I'm splitting my months between the Big Island of Hawaii and east Kentucky these days for reasons of health.

Have little homesteads in both locations for the time being. A relative newcomer to the pacific, I'm still climbing the learning curve for gardening here.

Good to meet you all!

John

[raymondo]

Welcome John. I don't know either Hawaii or Kentucky but imagine they are different.
This is an interesting forum John. Folks here grow all manner of edibles.

[Penny]

Hello there and Welcome.

[davida]

Hello and welcome. Like most people on this forum, I only have the hard shelled Job's tear. I would also like the try the soft shelled so will be on the look-out.

If you have not already joined them, you need to meet the people of GMO free Hawaii. You will be astonished what is going on in Hawaii with GMO testing. Hawaii was and probably still is the number one testing site for GMO testing including many of the super exotic GMO's that the public has never heard about. In the attempt to get the best test possible for the GMO, the fields are many times sprayed 17 to 20 times per crop with pesticides, herbicides and who knows what else.

Take care and keep in touch,
David

[drylandfish]

Thanks everyone!

David, It sounds as if the Big Island doesn't have it quite as bad as Oahu, although a local dairy took heat recently for growing GMO corn. GM Papaya is grown here and GM taro proposed to much local protest.

Thanks for the heads-up. A quick look at Monsanto's operations on Oahu are horrifying.

[davida]

Jan 11, 2013 4:50:32 GMT -5 drylandfish said:

Thanks everyone!

David, It sounds as if the Big Island doesn't have it quite as bad as Oahu, although a local dairy took heat recently for growing GMO corn. GM Papaya is grown here and GM taro proposed to much local protest.

Thanks for the heads-up. A quick look at Monsanto's operations on Oahu are horrifying.

That is right. The GMO free Hawaii people were able to get local support and stop GMO testing on a county to county basis until the entire Big Island was GMO test free. To my knowledge (which is limited) the Big Island's biggest worry is cross pollination of the papaya and taro which could make the old varieties extinct. Is this correct?

My wife and I recently visited the north side of Kauai and attended a meeting of GMO free Hawaii and watched the movie
Dirt with them. These are good, intelligent, educated people that care for their home. Like Oahu, what is happening in Kauai (mostly on the south side) is horrifying. This is where five of the six largest companies have offices and the sixth (Bayer) is supplying their patented "cides". The roads are full of heavy trucks carrying farm equipment and most of the equipment was sprayers. No one knows exactly all that they are testing but they are spraying the crops an average of 17 to 20 times per crop. One city street that is downwind has 26 patients diagnosed with cancer. During the corn pollen season, many school children and residents are developing "corn cough". Folks, this is serious.

Please learn as much current information that you can and keep the forum posted on what is happening.

Take care,
David

[12540dumont]

Hi Drylandfish,
Tell us about your garden. What are you growing?

[bunkie]

welcome aboard drylandfish!

[drylandfish]

Jan 11, 2013 13:49:06 GMT -5 12540dumont said:

Hi Drylandfish,
Tell us about your garden. What are you growing?

Hi dumont,

Here on the Big Island I am focusing on plants that seem to get along ok even if I am away for months at a time. I'm on 3 acres about 2100 ft up the slope of Kīlauea in a jungley rainforest. I'm paying attention to what my neighbors are growing and trying a few ideas of my own. The soil is shallow and rather acid.

So far the winners have been Koa (a fast-growing endemic hardwood and a nitrogen fixer), banana and plantain, sweet potato of several varieties, poha, naranjilla, a couple sorts of taro, comfrey, loquat, sugar cane, mango, clumping bamboo. Requiring more care than I am here to give are the avocados, citrus, breadfruit, jackfruit, coffee, tamarillo, pineapple - all of which are hanging on but are taking some nursing after my having been away all summer and fall. The yacon has done very well and produced hugely in my absence, I wish I'd got back a bit sooner and was able to salvage more, as about 75% ended up rotting. I planted lots of sweet potatoes and now find myself eating lots of greens from them as I keep cutting them down while doing the terrible task of overdue weed management (still more cuttings, right?).

On the adgenda for this winter are more koa and bananas for sure. More plants for chicken forage for when I can be here more consistently. I'd like to get set up to generate some biochar as a neighbor is using it to great effect on his place. Some more area under translucent roof would be welcome too, as I'd like to be able to grow some kale and other favorites that would currently be beat to death by the very regular rain.

[wolfcub]

Welcome Drylandfish!!