Pete Jalbert R(S)

Throughout the country, the change in season is clear. Leaves are turning on the trees, temperatures are falling with the leaves, and the days are growing shorter. Closer to the equator, the sense of seasons is less pronounced. Our average temperatures tend to vary only ten degrees a year. While we have some trees that lose their leaves, the vast majority keep their foliage year round. The days are growing shorter, but our variation in daylight between summer and winter is less drastic. That being said, the season changes are there if you turn on your senses. Today the change in seasons were as clear as a a bell along Maui's North Shore.I first noticed the change during the middle of the night. I woke to hear a sound that I had not heard since the beginning of last spring. The sound was the crashing of heavy surf.

We experienced our first high surf advisory on the North Shore as wave heights approached 15 feet on their faces. This first winter swell of the year stimulated not just the ears, but the eyes and the nose. The big surf cloaked Paia town and other communities along the north coast in a light sea mist. You could smell it and you could see it in the air. You could also sense it in the residents around town. The first big waves offered a visual treat for all and the chance for wave riders to give their adrenaline a boost that was missing during the small waves of the summer. While we don't have the full four seasons of the mainland, I have grown to appreciate the seasons of Maui more and more with each passing year. We mark our seasons by waves and wind, fruits and flowers and the appearance and disappearance of migratory birds, fish and whales. We also get to experience these varied seasons without the burden of a heavy winter coat.

This past weekend was the Maui County Fair in Kahului. The four day event is always a great time for Maui residents of all ages. I remember anxiously looking forward to the local fair as a kid. The games and rides were far and away my favorite. These days, I tend to stay away from the midway and spend more of my time at the agricultural exhibits. Here are some photos from my Sunday at the fair.

Looking towards the Midway of the Maui County Fair on a beautiful Sunday in early October.

specimen, Kids and adults enter their prized birds and livestock in the fair. The rooster below was a good looking that did not ribbon. In addition to roosters, chickens, pigs, cows, horses and goats, there were a variety of pigeons and ornamental birds.

Maui is world renowned for the quality of its orchids. Active orchid clubs and individuals have been very successful in creating Orchid hybrids that are truly spectacular. A blue ribbon orchid at the county fair is a pretty noteworthy accomplishment. The photo below does not do justice the beautiful blooms of this healthy orchid.

Asian cultural influences are evident throughout Maui. The art of the Bonsai Tree is one that was brought to Maui in the late 1800s and early 1900s with Japanese immigrants. It is an art form that is practiced on the island to this day with considerable skill. This bonsai tree was one of the first place winners at this year's county fair.

If I have but one regret about this year's county fair, it was that I arrived with a full stomach. The fair is famous or infamous for its food. Local charities have food booths where the proceeds benefit their organization. The volume and variety of the food is amazing. The dishes include all kinds of island favorites.

The fair is held every year in late September/early October. I look forward to next year's event and promise myself that for better or worse I will arrive with an empty stomach!

The landscape of Maui is dominated by its dormant volcano Haleakala. The Hawaiian word Haleakala means House of the Sun. When one considers the meaning of Haleakala, the growing demand for alternative energy resources and our island's abundant sunshine, there is no wonder that more and more island residents are turning to photovoltaic energy and solar hot water for their energy needs. For those that are considering solar, there is a great opportunity to educate yourself on solar technologies this weekend.

The 3rd annual House of the Sun Solar Tour is being held this Saturday October 4th. Tour participants will visit Maui residences and businesses that are using solar hot water and solar energy. Industry professionals will explain the science behind the technology, the cost of the technologies and why renewable energy makes sense. The event is sponsored by the Hawaii PV coalition. Contact the coalition today to arrange a spot on Saturday's tour.

On the last Saturday of every month, the Paia Youth and Cultural Center (PYCC) hosts a beach clean up. The PYCC is located along the shores of Paia Bay in beautiful Paia, Maui. Not only does PYCC provide a great space for Maui's kids, the staff does a wonderful job of instilling a respect for the environment among its members. Today, PYCC had a special clean up that streched from Baldwin Beach Park back to the beach around the Youth Center. The clean up drew sponsorship and increased participation through the Humbol Company.

Quite a Haul!

The kids and adult volunteers did a great job picking up trash not only on the beach, but in the Baldwin Beach parking lot and in the bushes and trees located off the beach. The beach produced lots of small items like bits of plastic, bottle caps and cigarette butts. The bushes and the trees produced the big ticket items. Included among the debris were tires, a weight bench, car batteries, car parts, municipal signs and more.

A volunteer with a well deserved shave ice!

Part of the Clean Up Crew in front of the Youth Center

It is safe to say I needed a shower after a couple of hours of rooting out trash from the bushes!

After a couple of hours of hard work in the sun, volunteers were treated to Akinaka Shave Ice, followed by a barbecue lunch from Brudda Willy's Sticky Ribs, and pizza from the Flatbread Company. Humbol gave T-shirts and stickers to all the participants. They also provided trash bags, gloves and cold drinks! Thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors for a great effort. Paia's Beaches are that much cleaner thanks to your hard work!

Food security is an important issue for the Hawaiian Islands. Maui boasts a year round growing season and has large areas of the island dedicated to sugar cane and pineapple, but it still imports over 90% of its food supply. There have been calls to expand agriculture on the island and improve self sufficiency. The challenge is that agriculture can be tough to make profitable. Land and labor are both expensive. This challenge is not unique to Maui. Smaller scale farms on the mainland have struggled to generate profits for decades. Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is one avenue that farmers have been pursuing as a means to make small scale farming ventures profitable. CSAs typically operate by having consumers become members in a farm. The members pay a fee that helps under write farming costs. The size of membership fees varies from farm to farm. The farm in turn provides weekly produce in return to its members. The weekly produce may be included in the membership fees or there may be a fee for each delivery. Again, this varies farm to farm.

I first heard about CSAs when watching the documentary The Real Dirt on Farmer John. I thought CSAs were an interesting business model and a great way to encourage local agriculture. I thought it might be a good fit for a community like Maui and wondered if and when I might see a CSA emerge on island. Today, I saw a letter to the editor in the Maui News touting a new kid on the local agriculture scene called Kula Fields. Low and behold, Maui has its very first CSA.

Kula Fields offers memberships starting at $15. From there, you can sign up for weekly home delivery of fresh produce. They offer different delivery sizes including small, medium and large deliveries. Small deliveries generally meet the needs of 1-2 people. Medium boxes are for 2-4 people and large delivieries will feed 4-6 people. Costs for the weekly deliveries are $35, $45 and $55 for the different sized boxes. You may order all fruit, all vegetables or a combination of the two. The type of produce delivered is going to be based on seasonal availability. Kula Fields is also partnering with other local companies like the Maui Cattle Company, Maui Coffee Roasters, Surfing Goat Dairy and Maui Seafoods for more comprehensive grocery delivery. Kula Fields current delivery range includes all of the North Shore, Upcountry, South Maui and Central Maui.

Kula Fields is a great opportunity for island residents to support local agriculture. It is also a great opportunity to go green in the community as it significantly reduces the carbon foot print of an island resident's eating habits. You can support local business and go green with the added convenience of having a good chunk of your weekly groceries delivered to your own home. Check out the Kula Fields Website to sign up as a member or for additional information on their products and services. I wish them the best of luck in this exciting new agricultural venture on Maui.