Saturday, April 27

Next generation farmer, Sky Roversi-Deal. Daniel Lane photo

North Country Farms

Garden Workshop, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., $40 per person

“Want to get serious about growing food and eating off the land?” Asks Sky Roversi-Deal, of North Country Farms. “Of course you do, and so do we! But in order for our island’s nascent locally-based food movement to survive and thrive, we need to do more than just eat local vegetables, greens, and fruit, while importing beans, rice, and flour from out of state. Every culture has its “staple crops,” those dense plant foods like rice, bread, poi, and beans, rich in the carbohydrates that give us the energy to work and play and the proteins to build strong bodies and recover from injury. In conjunction with lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, meats, dairy, and seafood, these foods are core components of a real and balanced diet, and need to be a significant part of our local food system as well.

“Whether you have acres of property or just a tiny backyard, years of garden experience or none at all, anyone can grow some of their own staples for food security, resilience, community building, profit, and pleasure. So come on over to North Country Farms and let Farmer Sky show you how. Sky has spent the past several years enthusiastically acquiring seed and plant stocks and learning to grow a number of staple crops through hands-on experience. Attendees will also receive some free, organically grown planting material and seeds to get started!”

Topics include:

• 

  North Country Farms. Daniel Lane photo

  Introduction to a select few tropical starchy root crops and pulses from around the world–all crops that North Country Farms has grown for years with great success and can highly recommend as easy-to-grow, nutritious, and tasty

• How to propagate and grow these versatile, nutritious staples, with an emphasis on simple, low-input, labor-saving methods
• Harvesting, preparing, and eating, with guidelines and recipe ideas

Advance registration with prepayment is required. To register, email Sky at alwaysbringyourtowel@gmail.com, and send a money order or check payable to Sky Roversi-Deal to P.O. Box 723, Kilauea, HI 96754. You will receive a confirmation and directions to the farm. “Please bring a sun hat and a water bottle and leave the pets at home,” advises Sky. “We look forward to having you join us!”

Sunday, April 28

Dave Power passes out the Corn ‘n Oil on our culinary tour. Daniel Lane photo

The Feral Pig

Our buddy Dave Power, awesome bartender, co-owner of The Feral Pig and mixologist for one of our Kauai Culinary Tours, is traveling to Maui on May 11 to mix drinks for a farm-to-table dinner. Check out this article in Maui News, Dave is #10.

This Sunday, Whiskey-O will play Irish music at The Pig to put you in the mood for corned beef specials that are all day long.

Two-time grammy award-winning guitarist Ken Emerson is playing with Randy Carnevali and Ron Rhoades on Fridays from 8:30 to 11 p.m.. “Ken plays an amazing combination of blues, jazz and slack key,” says Dave. No Cover, great cocktails and $5 local craft beers on draft.

Monday, April 29

The Power of the Indigenous: Native Success in Education and in Life

This event takes place in Honolulu, but I thought I’d post it because there is a lot of interest in this subject. Indigenous Educators, Ku-A-Kanaka and the Native American Alliance for Charter Schools (NAACS) presents The Power of the Indigenous: Native Success in Education and in Life, at the Hawaii Convention Center, in conjunction with Pacific Rim 2013 International Conference on Disabilities and Diversity.

This one-day Indigenous Education Institute brings together Hawaiian-focused and Native American Charter School leaders, as well as other global Indigenous educators to share Best Practices in Indigenous Education.

Topics include:

• Native Values Inform Modern Instruction
• Pedagogy of Place Drives 21st Century Curriculum
• Traditional Practices Shape Modern Assessments
• Local Communities Impart Global Skills and Responsibility

Each of the four 90-minute exchanges will be moderated by a facilitator and involve four, 15-minute speaker presentations, followed by a 15-minute small group discussion on the same topic, with the final 15 minutes to be used for discussion summaries and comments from the audience.

For more information about the Institute, or other information re: PacRim 2013 visit http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/pacriminfo/pacrim2013/specialevents/indigenous/, or call me at (808) 775-0867.

KU-A-KANAKA – Indigenous Institute for Culture and Language
P.O. Box 1764 Honokaa, Hawaii 96727
808-775-0867

UPCOMING:

Sunday, May 5

The History of Kauai and Hanalei

Luau, Hanalei Lawn, 5 ro 8:15 p.m., $120

Hula Halau Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani and their Kumu Hula Kapu Kinimaka– Alquiza have put together a very special program honoring the history of Hanalei and the island of Kauai. Cocktails and live music begin at 5 p.m. with a dinner buffet and show to follow. Complementary valet parking at the Westin Princeville. For reservations call 808-827-8808.

Monday, May 6

Morgan Vineyard Wine Dinner

5:30 p.m., $85

The Wine Shop in Koloa, and RumFire at the Sheraton Kauai Resort, is hosting a wine event featuring a 4-course dinner paired with wines from winemaker, Morgan Vineyards.

• 1st Course ~ Butter Poached Kauai Shrimp, Morgan Sauvignon Blanc, California 2011
• 2nd Course ~ Prosciutto Wrapped Diver Scallop, Morgan Chardonnay “Highlands”, Monterey, California 2010
• 3rd Course ~ Sonoma Valley Duck Breast, Morgan Pinot Noir “12 Clones”, Monterey, California 2011
• 4th Course ~ Roasted Kauai Rack of Lamb, Morgan “Cote du Crow’s” Grenache/Syrah, Monterey, California 2010

For reservations contact RumFire at 808-742-4RUM.

Chef Guy Higa at the cooking demonstration for a Tasting Kauai tour. Daniel Lane photo

Friday, May 10

A Culinary Romp Through Paradise

Various locations in Kapaa, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., $130

Tasting Kauai’s Culinary Tour offers an intimate glimpse into the Garden Island’s culinary scene. We start with a farm tour and learn about exotic fruit grown on Kauai. At the Kauai Marriott Resort, we join executive chef Guy Higa for an outdoor cooking demonstration and gourmet, four-course lunch made with Kauai grown ingredients. Our last stop is at Nani Moon Mead, where we’ll get an exclusive tour of Hawaii’s only meadery, and sample all five honey wines in the Nani Moon Mead collection. Ticket price includes a bottle of mead. You can read what LandingStanding said about this tour, or visit our Kauai Culinary Tours page. We have a Facebook photo album that shows how much fun the tour is, and our 5-Star TripAdvisor reviews. Chef Higa donates proceeds from his portion of the tour to the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. For a complete list of 2013 dates, check out our Kauai Culinary Tours Calendar. Call 808-635-0257 to make a reservation.

Friday, May 17

Oahu resident Tara McKellar samples three preparations of taro. Daniel Lane photo

A Taste of Old Kauai

Waipa, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., $155

Tasting Kauai’s north shore tour is part agritourism and part ecotourism. We visit Waipa, one of 67 watersheds homesteaded by the first Polynesians, which remains undeveloped. This one-of-a-kind experience was designed by Tasting Kauai and the Waipa Foundation especially for those who wish to learn about traditional agriculture systems, endangered wildlife, and enjoy real Hawaiian food saturated in Kauai’s rugged beauty.

Tucked in a valley and surrounded by towering mountain ranges, our guests learn about Hawaii’s culture and food. Waipa is nestled in the Hanalei Valley which is an is a Wildlife Refuge and endangered birds flourish here. We explore a vast loi (taro garden) fed by auwai, or irrigation system, that supplies water from mountain streams.

At the “Poi Garage” we learn about Hawaii’s staff of life: taro, or kalo as it’s called here, and guests sample cooked taro corms, poi and kulolo, a traditional dessert made with coconut.

We tour the farm and learn how Waipa teaches kids about the circle of life through farm animals and gardens. Continuing through the property, we’ll learn the difference between native, canoe and introduced plants, while we walk to the Halulu Fishpond.

Guests learn the difference between native, canoe and introduced and plants at the Halulu Fishpond. Daniel Lane photo

Lunch, prepared by Waipa’s chef, changes seasonally and is made with vegetables grown in onsite gardens, locally sourced meat or fish, and mamaki tea with lemongrass and mint. Guests eat ohana (family) style while enjoying the beauty and breezes of Hanalei Bay. Proceeds from this tour go to restore native plants and to preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian culture through education. For more information, visit A Taste of Old Kauai, or visit check out our Facebook photo album. To make reservations, call 808-635-0257.

Saturday, May 18th

Papaya’s Natural Food’s and Cafe 15th Anniversary Celebration

8 a.m. to 9 .p.m., free

• 15-percent off items store wide
• Free samples
• Free Tastings from local vendors such as Uncle Mikey’s Dried Fruit, Kauai Living Goodies, Kauai Kombucha, Lotus fudge, Da Cha Teas and Rick’s Hawaiian Gold Mustard
• Free Music by Madison and Paradise Found 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We would like to thank the community for their continued support in making Papaya’s what it is today!” says event coordinator Chelsea. For more information, call 808-823-0190

Sunday, May 19

Lisa Fuller and Sun. Daniel Lane photo

One Song Farm: The Garden As Teacher Workshop

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,$36 per person, cash only please

Lisa and Sun will share their 30 years combined knowledge and experience in organic, bio-intensive gardening to the people of Kauai. Come prepared to be in the sun bring a water bottle, big hat, sunscreen and snacks. For experienced and novice gardeners. Topics include:

• Soil testing and planting bed preparation
• Weed management
• The benefits of insects
• Creating quality compost
• Maintaining your garden from seed to table
• Plant variety selection

Contact Lisa and Sun at 808-635-3020, for directions and registration.

ONGOING:

Sunshine Farmers Market in Kapaa. Daniel Lane photo

Farmers Market Class

Wednesdays, 3 to 4 p.m., $35

Learn how to select perfect produce, when it’s in season and how to cook with it during Tasting Kauai’s new one-hour farmers market classes. Marta Lane, Kauai based food and farm writer, teaches residents and visitors how to negotiate market pitfalls.

“One day I was at the farmers market and I saw friends who were visiting from Colorado,” says Tasting Kauai founder Marta Lane. “As we hugged and said hello, I saw a table full of near-rotten mangos. It was still snowing in Denver and my friends were excited about the big, beautiful tomatoes they just bought. Their faces fell when I told them they were not grown on Kauai. I felt bad for them, and was inspired to offer this class.”

Farmers markets are an affordable way to immerse yourself in local culture and the best place to buy produce that’s so fresh, it was harvested that morning. But buying at the farmers market doesn’t always insure that it was grown on Kauai.

It happens all over the world. In Hawaii, customers want mangos year-round. In Colorado, they want tomatoes in May. To make that sale, vendors buy imported mangoes or tomatoes and sell them as their own. Customers unfamiliar with the seasons can insure their dollars are spent on local products by learning how to identify locally grown produce.

There’s a whole world of delicious produce that many residents never try. Let’s face it, some of it looks like it came from another planet. Once unfamiliar produce is demystified and cooking tips are shared, it may become a regular at dinner table.

Many factors can make exotic produce expensive and the last thing you want to do is buy a pineapple that isn’t at peak perfection. This class will also teach you how to tell when produce is ripe as well as how to store it for best results.

Learn what to look for, the right questions to ask and how to prepare exotic ingredients. You’ll never get taken advantage of and you have a table full of delicious, local produce.

For reservations, call 808-635-0257.