THE STORY OF BERTA MIRANDA'S ESCAPE FROM THE EL SALVADOR CIVIL WAR to Kaʻū and the creation of the successful family Miranda's Kaʻū Coffee farms is the subject of a new film. It is called Massacres to Miracles: One Woman's Incredible Journey to Hawai'i's Best Coffee, Where Coffee Takes You: Kaʻū.
The production was produced by Kirk Berossian, founder of Angelino's Coffee in Los Angeles and was filmed at Miranda's Coffee farms and, in part, at Pahala Plantation House. It is one in a series of films
called Where Coffee Takes You that illustrates coffee farming in 48 countries.
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| Where Coffee Takes You filmmaker Kirk Berossian and Berta Miranda, star of new film on Miranda's Coffee. |
Berta and her husband Jose came to Kaʻū in 1996. In the film, she says they came as coffee pickers, picking 1,000 lbs. of coffee a day for 12 years, to work towards their dream to own a coffee farm.
In the film, Berta explained why she left El Salvador. She said during the Civil War, when she was 14, she remembered bombs going off and people dying. She said four men came to her family home there, asking for money and guns. She said her family didn't have money and they broke her mother's arm, killed her brother and grandpa and hung her father, whom her mother cut down and saved. The family left El Salvador when she was 17 and picked fruit on the West Coast before coming to Kaʻū.
Berta described the first harvest of her family's own coffee in Kaʻū and said that after 16 years of working to buy land they achieved "the American Dream." They purchased their farm in Moa'ula and entered a cupping competition, earning first place for Kaʻū Coffee and first place in the state.
Miranda's now own 40 acres of Kaʻū Coffee farm land, including land near South Point Road along Hwy 11 where they also serve food and have a coffee tasting and gift store. Berta said, "I love to be every day in the field.... My coffee trees are my babies," said Berta, as she showed the filmmaker how to pick coffee.
See the film on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSxFk4rZVgE.
Learn more about Miranda Farms at www.mirandasfarm.com
Learn more about Kirk Berossian, Angelino's Coffee and Where Coffee Takes You at https://angelinos.com/.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.
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SIGN UP TO BY MONDAY, APRIL 29 TO ATTEND KA'U HIGH SCHOOL AND PAHALA ELEMENTARY'S showcase of students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 on Wednesday, May 1.
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SIGN UP TO BY MONDAY, APRIL 29 TO ATTEND KA'U HIGH SCHOOL AND PAHALA ELEMENTARY'S showcase of students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 on Wednesday, May 1. The event takes attendies from door to door to classrooms where students present special projects.
A statement from the school says, "Our Learning Intentions are to:
Provide students an opportunity to practice their presentation skills and demonstrate their learning;
"Create opportunities for students to share their class projects with other students, community partners, and family;
"Build pride in our students, school, and community by showcasing various student and school projects done in collaboration with the community such as project-based learning, technology integration, and other real-world projects;
"Practice and prepare for Capstone presentations in grades 6, 8, and 12 starting in Spring SY 24-25."
Here is the schedule for the Student Showcase:
9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.: Check in at the District Gym MPR (open until 12pm for any later arrivals)
10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.: Visit 7-12, Showcase Classrooms
11:25 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.: Visit K-6, Showcase Classrooms
Those interested in attending can complete this Google Form by Monday, April 29.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.
THE FIFTH ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL has announced its call for vendors. It will be held Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 at venues throughout Volcano Village. Learn more or sign up to be a vendor or volunteer and join the Experience Volcano organization at www.experiencevolcano.com or email experiencevolcano@pb06.wixemails.com
See more on the festival, visit www.experiencevolcano.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.
Provide students an opportunity to practice their presentation skills and demonstrate their learning;
"Create opportunities for students to share their class projects with other students, community partners, and family;
"Build pride in our students, school, and community by showcasing various student and school projects done in collaboration with the community such as project-based learning, technology integration, and other real-world projects;
"Practice and prepare for Capstone presentations in grades 6, 8, and 12 starting in Spring SY 24-25."
Here is the schedule for the Student Showcase:
9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.: Check in at the District Gym MPR (open until 12pm for any later arrivals)
10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.: Visit 7-12, Showcase Classrooms
11:25 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.: Visit K-6, Showcase Classrooms
Those interested in attending can complete this Google Form by Monday, April 29.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.
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| Experience Volcano Festival is set for the weekend of July 27, and is offering opportunities for vendors and volunteers. Photo by Jesse Tunison |
THE FIFTH ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL has announced its call for vendors. It will be held Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 at venues throughout Volcano Village. Learn more or sign up to be a vendor or volunteer and join the Experience Volcano organization at www.experiencevolcano.com or email experiencevolcano@pb06.wixemails.com
See more on the festival, visit www.experiencevolcano.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.
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