56 trips around the sun

June 23, 2014

56 trips around the sun

On or about the marking of the beginning of my 57th trip around the sun, I thought what better way to celebrate, but to go zip lining with these Kalani volunteers?

We drove north of Hilo to an old sugar cane complex and to this series of waterfalls.

The falls are bigger than they look from the faraway shot...glad the cable was tested to hold 28,000 pounds of weight.

The crew makes the trip across this bridge to the first of the nine jumps.

The guides could get up to 62mph; we averaged about 40.

If you are interested in Umauma Falls,google the above sign!

In other news, Launi, 32, a former restaurant owner and from somewhere in Canada where the Eskimos live, watches Lily begin a headstand on Sid's back. Sid, 38, a traveler from a distant galaxy but originally from Istanbul, had complained of lower back pain and Lily decided that this was the thing to do.

A day trip to one of the "beaches" around Hilo.

Not a lot of sand at Spencer Beach, but very accessible.

Spencer Beach has blocked off natural tidal pools for the sea turtles to have a chill place to snooze and recharge from the rigors of the Pacific.

A group of kitchen managers, shift leaders and trainers recently visited Ginger Ridge Farm. The Kalani kitchen always strives to buy local and organic whenever nature will cooperate.

Hiking out to the fields....Jodie apparently thought that it was no big deal really.

Meet Howard James, the owner of this fabulous 120 acre organic operation known as Ginger Ridge Farm since 1988. He also has a farm near Bedford, Virginia. It is near Volcano National Park. Here Jodie, Jamie and Lilly listen as Sami questions Howard about the operation. Sami,60, a massage therapist in Arizona before Kalani,is the kitchen manager, which serves over 100,000 meals a year.
Read about Ginger Ridge here

Howard's only employee is "Uncle". Although he has two sons that are doctors in Manhattan, Uncle saw that life and decided he liked the Spartan, ascetic agrarian life better. Howard says he does four times the work as some of the younger Woofers he has had on property.

Howard has learned some Mandarin symbols and uses this board to communicate with Uncle, who speaks no English.

The next batch of seedlings ready to go to the fields.

One of the main problems with the permaculture movement in Hawaii is the severe lack of dirt on the Big Island. Ginger Ridge had the geological good fortune to be partially covered around 1900 by a volcanic mud flow instead of the usual lava flow. This clay flow is ~ 4 feet thick and since 1988 Howard has amended this clay with manure and compost, which has produced dirt you can almost eat. Here he offers some carrots fresh from the field and offered me a chance to become a raw vegan for a while.

Jodie, a real raw vegan, found my foray into the raw food world as a lifestyle humorous. Jodie, 28, has worked with me in the kitchen for many months and she is headed back to Shreveport, Louisiana to start Nursing School after she finishes her yoga teacher certification course. After all Jodie, it's just a ride.

So as the tour began to wind down, we asked if we could help out by taking our order back in our van, saving Howard the 45 minute trip to/from Kalani. Howard said that the order was not quite ready and asked for volunteers to help Uncle out finishing our order. Talk about farm to table!

Howard is a rare mix of total dedication to sustainable organic production methods from pre-plan to harvest, to value added products and marketing. He has hands on experience from pioneering crops, products and markets. He has been an organic farmer for 25 years in a variety of climates, soil types and growing conditions. He has been involved with marketing and developing of organic products for 30 years, as broad-ranging as fresh squeezed carrot juice, herbal bath salts, dried fruit, and vinegar.

As well as consulting in Hawaii and the mainland, Howard was sent twice to the Philippines by USAID to lecture, advise and consult
farmers, businessmen and government officials all they want to know about one of the fastest growing industries in the world today.

Dana,48, originally from Beverly Hills is a lapsed business law attorney and manger of the kitchen along with Sami; here she regards Howard's lemon grass.

In 2002 Ginger Ridge was the largest organic banana and ginger farm in the USA. Here Howard shows Lily, our Indian and Thai chef, rows of turmeric and ginger.

Howard is always looking for skilled farm workers and will provide lodging and some meals either in your tent or in the giant warehouse with Uncle. No entitled Woofer types need apply. You can contact him at the Ginger Farms website above.

Folks, I have a new appreciation of the amount of work that is involved in the fledgling permaculture movement in Hawaii. Beginning with actually making the dirt to re-planting those trays of seedlings, weeding, watering, insect control and finally harvesting. Here is the final washing of our lettuce and other vegetables.