Aloha'aina
Being an island, Molokai has always challenged its residents to think smart about proper relationship to the land and its resources. In Hawaiian culture the expression is "aloha 'aina" - treat the land that feeds you with the love it deserves. Today we might use the catchword "sustainability."
In Halawa Valley you get direct experience of taro cultivation, a brilliant agricultural system that enabled people to flourish in a small stream-fed valley. The Hawaiians who care for the valley today can give a direct experience of that ancient and wise system.
Coffees of Hawaii, a flourishing 660-acre farm in central Molokai, gives tours of its dynamic field-to-market system-everything from buggy rides in the plantation to formal coffee sippings. Whether you take the tour or not, you will definitely relish a stop at its cafe and gift shop. Nearby Kumu Farms is offering great island produce and information about its thriving certified organic farm. Pu'u O Hoku Ranch has committed itself to organic farming. Other goods stops include Purdy's Macadamia Farm, the plumeria farm, the sweet-potato chips makers, and the honey people of Molokai Meli. Check with Molokai Visitors Association to map out your excursions. Call it "ag-tourism." We say "aloha 'aina."
