Although we know eating canned beans can provide lots of healthy fiber in our meals, some of us are craving fresh vegetables. For many years, we may have taken our local farmers markets for granted, but this pandemic has closed those markets for months. During our few ventures out of the house we may have had a hard time finding fresh locally grown vegetables.
Without their usual markets, local farmers rose to the occasion and started selling in booths near their farms or joined with others to offer their produce through online markets. With the state opening up a bit we may have more opportunities to buy farm-direct produce that is both fresh and local. The new normal in West Hawaii may include farm stands and online markets as well as reopened farmers markets.
Several of the previously thriving farmer direct markets are opening cautiously with new rules in place. All markets that are currently re-opening require vendors and customers wear masks, hand sanitize and respect social distancing. Those that offer prepared food require it be consumed off site. Takeout is the new normal.
Checking the websites of those in Kailua-Kona, I found an online market that started during the shutdown and two others that are opening while sporting new rules in keeping with the statewide regulations.
After the Saturday Kona Farm Bureau market at the Keauhou Shopping center had to close as part of the stay-at-home orders, the farmers got together and figured out a way to offer their produce virtually with drive-through pickup on Saturdays. Even though they plan to open their on-site market in Keauhou on Saturday, July 4, the online market will continue to offer pickup of orders placed in advance. The online market will move its pickup point from Honalo to Keauhou, next to the site of the reopening farmer-direct market.
By going online to keauhoufarmersmarket.com/onlinemarket you can select produce from the list that is posted on Tuesdays at noon and place your order before noon on Thursday. Your order will be ready for drive-by pickup on Saturday between 9:30 and noon. Payment for your order is made online. To cover the cost of the drive-by station, a $4 fee is added to all orders. The products are also marked up 10% to help pay for the online service. All workers and customers must wear masks.
Once the Keauhou Farmers Market reopens in the Keauhou Shopping Center masks and social distancing practices will also be required. Get up to date information on schedule changes as well as a list of participating vendors at keauhoufarmersmarket.com. Old favorites at the farmer-direct market will be back on site including Earthly Delights, Kanalani, McCann and Kona Hawk Farms.
Some of the former market vendors, including Roy Honda, Marg Love and Zac Hosler, will continue selling from their personal off-site booths. More information on those will likely be available at the Saturday market.
The Pure Kona Green Market is also doing cautious reopening with similar rules in place and reduced hours. Its local farmers and artists have the motto “From the land – By our hand” and that is what you’ll find at the market. It’s open now in the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden parking lot at 82-6188 Mamalahoa Highway in Captain Cook on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check its Facebook page for the latest schedule or changes that might occur.
Rumor has it that the Kona Village Farmers Market on Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona is re-opening. No official word is currently available, however.
Several Waimea farmers markets are currently open, including the Waimea Town Farmers Market, the Waimea Homestead Farmers Market and the Kamuela Farmers Market. All are open to customers in masks practicing social distancing on Saturday mornings from 7:30 a.m. to noon. All have websites that can provide the latest information including the availability of online markets.
Waimea Town Market is now meeting on the Parker School campus at 65-1224 Lindsay Road. Waimea Farmers Market has booths open on Saturdays at the Waimea middle and elementary school playground at 67-1229 Mamalahoa Highway, behind the post office. Kamuela Farmers Market meets at Pukalani Stables at 67-139 Pukalani Road on both Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
Those near Hamakua should know the Hamakua Harvest market is returning to its normal hours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday. Check out details at hamakuaharvest.org
The Kau Farmers Market in Naalehu has an Instagram page with its latest information. Though Ocean View has at least one weekly farmers market, information on it is currently unavailable online.
If you’ve been without fresh local produce and locally made grab and go food, check out a farmers market soon. You’ll enjoy the food and be supporting local farmers and Hawaii agriculture. See you there.
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kailua-Kona.
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Gardening Events
As farmer’s markets, educational opportunities and university sponsored events and webinars gradually re-open, watch for announcements here.
Ongoing and coming up:
“Seed Giveaway by the Community Seed Library” Call the Kailua-Kona Public Library at 327-4327 to check availability and to arrange for pickup there at 75-138 Hualālai Road in Kailua-Kona.
Thursday & Friday, June 24 & 25: “Hawaii Coffee 2020 Webinar Series” A free resource for coffee association members and the broader community. Sessions will provide updates on the effects of the pandemic on the Hawaii coffee industry and on the coffee industry at large. Schedule, registration and more information including speaker bios is available at https://hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/page-1771697.
Saturday, July 11: “Basic Botany and Horticultural Principles” from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Hawaiian Gardens 73-4279 Pukiawe Street in Keahole Ag Park. Erin Lee from Hualalai Resort will present an overview of plant structure, functions and physiology essential to plant care followed by a tour through the nursery for hands-on tips. $50 for HILA members. $60 for non-members. For more information or to register go to admin@hilahawaii.com or call Ty McDonald at 322-4884 Information on HILA is available at https://hilahawaii.com.
ZOOM Gardening Classes at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Go to “Current Catalog” at https://osher.socialsciences.hawaii.edu/ to find gardening classes offered on Monday afternoons from 2 to 3:30. “Container Gardening” starts July 13. “Native Hawaiian Plants” starts July 27 and “Organic Pest Control” starts August 10. Check out the catalog for these and other OLLI summer offerings. The membership fee entitles you to register for any of the classes offered in the catalog.