Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022

HAWAI'I CHOCOLATE & CACAO ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE is Friday, Nov. 11-13 with workshops, demonstrations, dynamic speakers, farm tours, and of lots of chocolate. To view a full list of event locations, speakers, and itinerary, visit the conference website. Among the speakers are Charley Wheelock, who with his wife Jessica in Portland, Oregon created Wookblock Chocolate, and Giffe Laube, who owns a cacao and vanilla farm in Nicaragua. 

     The locations for the conference include Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, 76 Kamehameha Ave in Hilo, Kai Ikena Orchards, Hamakua Chocolate Farm and Kulaimanu Community Center in Pepekeo. Featured Farms include Kai Ikena, Mauna Kea Cacao and Deep Dirt Farm. See the conference website at www.hawaiichocolate.org. The President and Secretary of Hawai'i Chocolate & Cacao Association is Will Lydgate. Vice President is Maria Carl.

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FINANCING OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS will be the workshop in Wood Valley at the Hawai'i Farmers United Hawai'i Kaʻū Chapter meeting on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. The event is free and membership is not required. The location is 96-1034 Center Rd, above Pāhala.

    The workshop includes a Q&A and an introduction to services provided by Feed the Hunger Fund and The Kohala Center. RSVP to kau@hfuu.org.

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VIDEOS FOR SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND HOME GARDENERS ARE available at plantpono.org., sponsored by Big Island Invasive Species Committee, which released this statement:
    Sharing cuttings and seedlings is a beloved and longstanding practice amongst backyard gardeners and small-scale farmers, but sharing comes with risk. What begins as a pleasant exchange can become a long-term headache, as ants, scale insects, slug eggs, fungi, and many other pests can stealthily hitchhike into well cared-for gardens.
    The University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources recently joined forces

See the BIISC films at https://plantpono.org/planting-guides/

with the Big Island Invasive Species Committee to create a set of short videos aimed at supporting resident growers. The educational videos offer practical, step-by-step instructions for creating home garden quarantine stations and best practices to avoid spreading pests, disease, and invasive species when exchanging plants and seeds. Topics covered include proper methods for sharing sweet potato, recognizing banana bunchy top virus, and disposal of different kinds of contaminated plant materials.
    Molly Murphy, a specialist with the Plant Pono program, advised that all residents who engage in plant sharing take the time to learn about home biosecurity, saying “We know that the number one pathway for pests coming into the islands is live plants and plant materials. The same is true for our backyards – as home gardeners, we should all be doing our best to stop pests from moving through our communities.” She notes that both BIISC and CTAHR provide resources for controlling pests when they are detected.
    Local growers are featured, including Sean Jennings, founder of the popular Homesteadin’ Hawai'i Facebook Group, Zoe Kosmas and Brayden Jadulang with Mālaʻai, and Kaʻiana Runnels of The Kohala Center. The videos, plus other resources for avoiding invasive species through good practices and choosing plant species to grow, can be found on PlantPono.org, which is managed by BIISC. See the films at https://plantpono.org/planting-guides/
    Funding for this project was provided by the County of Hawai‘i Department of Research & Development.

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ENERGY PROJECT PROGRAMS, GRANTS AND LOAN GUARANTEES will be presented by Hawai'i Farm Bureau on Monday, Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. –7 p.m. at Kea'au Community Center, 16-186 Pili Mua St. Speakers from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Business-Cooperative Service will share the information with agricultural producers. Light refreshments will be served. There is no cost to attend and registration is not required in advance.