Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016

Keiki from Ka`u participated in the creation of a Marine Debris Prevention program for elementary students, developed by the Hawai`i Wildlife Fund. Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

Marine debris made its way into elementary classrooms as Hawai`i Wildlife Fund development an elementary school curriculum. Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

A COFFEE PICKER SHORTAGE WAS THE WORD among farmers at yesterday’s Ka`u Coffee Workshop held in Pahala. Ka`u Coffee production is almost overwhelming following much rainfall this year.  So much coffee cherry is ripening that farmers face a tough time keeping up with the picking. Short of local pickers and with this year's unusual overlap of the Kona and Ka`u harvests, which are usually sequential, many Ka`u farmers are waiting for pickers who remain in Kona to finish up that harvest, before making their way down here.
     This leaves the burden on Ka`u Coffee family members and others helping out in the community, as failing to pick Ka`u Coffee at the perfect moment can lead to lower quality and losing a crop as the coffee cherries turn to raisins when left on the trees. Some farmers have cooperated to bring in pickers from afar, many from western states where migrant workers are finishing up the harvest before a winter they would like to spend in Hawai`i.

Ka`u Coffee farmers are hoping for more pickers to come south after the Kona  harvest tohelp with a big crop this year in Ka`u. Photo by Julia Neal

     Housing the pickers at an affordable rate is also a challenge. The Old Pahala Clubhouse has been renovated to house some of them. Part of the Olson Trust Building will also become picker housing and several farmers and labor managers have purchased or rented homes to house imported farm laborers in Ka`u.
     Local labor is challenging, particularly among resident Marshallese community members who offer their coffee picking services. Many of them need childcare to avoid illegally having children perceived as helping at the workplace. Many prefer to be paid by the amount of coffee they pick rather than by time, so they can take their time, take breaks to attend to family and go at their own pace. However, labor laws call for a minimum wage base, which can be discouraging to farmers who would like to provide work opportunity to the Marshallese community who reside here, but are attracted to experienced migrant farm workers. They  can make many times minimum wage through picking by the pound during a long day of work.
     During the workshop farmers asked one another for leads on more pickers to hire in Ka`u.
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KA`U COFFEE FARMERS EDUCATION focused a full day at Pahala Community Center on Saturday with state, county, NGO, private industry and university representatives advising growers on this fast growing sector of the economy. Despite the heavy harvest season, the education day was attended by many representatives of Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, Palehua Coffee Cooperative and independent farmers, all looking to improve production, control pests and learn more about the soils of Ka`u.

Taking a deep soil sample is important since coffee is a tree crop and the roots can reach far into the ground for nutrients, said experts at yesterday's Ka`u Coffee Workshop. Photo by Julia Neal

     Soils are special throughout Ka`u, on the side of Mauna Loa Volcano. Some solls feature heavy layers of ash from multiple volcanic eruptions. Some soils have many stone fragments, some are much deeper than Kona soils, some are shallow. Another consideration is the past use of the soil, particularly where sugar cane was grown for more than 100 years.
     Experts recommended that soils be tested three feet deep rather than testing only a few inches. Coffee grows on trees with roots that can reach deep into the ground to retrieve micronutrients. Ka`u has some of the older soils on the island, some very deep soils, much different than younger volcanic soils on lava flows in Kona. In Ka`u the rooting is deeper, the experts noted. More nutrients may be available.
     Advisors suggested farmers take core samples to study the history and qualities of the soil in each orchard. They recommended using the services of University of Hawai`i rather than mainland testers, since U.H. calibrates its analysis specifically to tropical Hawaiian acidic soils. The cost is only $12. General knowledge about soil can also be retrieved from the field with a cell phone, app and GPS, they explained.
    Advisors also warned about over treating soils with any one of the nutrients, which can reduce productivity. Ka`u soils tend to be low in zinc and potash is the most important nutrient for Ka`u Coffee cupping quality. But too much or too little can ruin a crop, making testing very important, said the experts.
     Here are the Ka`u Coffee Workshop presenters, their expertise and contact information: Laura Diaz, LDO Market, laura@ldomarket.com Suzanne Schriner, Suzanne@deadcbb.com, Nicholas Manoukis, Research Biologist, U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Nicholas.maoukis@ars.usda; Tracie Matsumoto, Research Leader U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Tracie.Matsumoto@ars.usda.gov; Lisa Keith, Research Plant Pathologist, U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Lisa.Keith@ars.usda.gov; Luis Aristiabal, Synergistic Hawai`i Agriculture Council, laristizabal721@gmail.com; Ray Carrutthers, Extension Specialist, U.H. College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, carruthersray@gmail.com; ; Jarret Enriquez, Sales, Brewer Environmental Industries, jenriques@beihawaii.com ; Robbie Hollingsworth, Research Entomologist Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Robert.Hollingsworth@ars.usda.gov; Peter Follet, Research Entomologist, Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Robert.Hollingsworth@ars.usda.gov; Rob Curtiss, Entomologist Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture, Robert.t.curtiss@hawaii.gov; Gwen Hicks Hawai`i Dept. Agriculture, Coffee Berry Borer Subisdy Program Coordinator, Gwendolyn.m.hicks@hawaii.gov; Teresa Young, Rural & Cooperative Business Development Specialist, The Kohala Center, tyoung@kohalacenter.org; Lynne Constantinides, Consultant, The Kohala Center, ichi@hawaiiantel.net; Amy Koch, Assistant Director for Soil Science, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, Hawai`i, amy.koch@hi.Usda.gov; Lance Santo, Consultant, lancesanto@hotmail.com; and Emily Emmons, Hawai`I Island Representative for Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Emily.Emmons@mail.house.gov.
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