Sonia Tastes Hawaii: Hawai'i Tropical Fruit Growers - A recent tour to a tropical fruit orchard

Almost ready to harvest rambutan

As part of the recently held 22nd Annual Hawaii International Tropical Fruit Conference on several of the Hawaiian Islands, the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers- East Hawai'i Island chapter conducted a tour of the Onomea Orchards, owned by Richard and Jenny Johnson.

Ken Love, the HTFG president, came over to our side of the island and brought Dr. Roberto Coronel of the RC Fruit Conservation Farm in the Philippines and Chef Ernest Miller, who holds the title of Lead Instructor Master Food Preserver with the University of California Cooperative Extention in LA.

Obviously, a couple of us taking pics were missing from this group photo.

A group of about 18 to 20 people met in Hilo on a beautiful sunny morning for the drive to the orchard, where we met Richard Johnson, who then proceeded to take us on a tour.

Richard Johnson, owner of Onomea Orchards, conducting the tour

After the tour we went back to our vehicles and we all broke for lunch...later meeting at the Komohana Agricultural Research Station where Dr. Coronel and Chef Ernie shared their presentations.

Starfruit trees were covered in blooms.

Dave Longacre the HTFG - East President summed it up quite nicely and with his permission I share his comments:

"What a great day we had on the Hilo Farm Tour and the post-annual conference presentations in the afternoon. HUGE Mahalo to Richard and Jenny Johnson of Onomea Orchards for hosting a big bunch of us at their gorgeous house and orchards"

"The immense productivity of Onomea Orchards' carambolas, longans, mangosteens, and myriad other fruits is testament to their hard work to maintain a spectacular orchard. Add to that a beautiful house and outbuildings and a mesmerizing pond filled with lotus blossoms - well, it is inspiring to say the least"

Inside of a mangosteen.

"More big thanks to YOU, the attendees, for the thought-provoking questions and commentary that everyone offered; I know it stimulated a lot of thinking about our own orchards, whether commercial or in our backyards"

Little gems: Georgie Fong's coconut water (deelightful on a very warm day), Shirley "Charley" Black wearing two right-foot boots (and one of them was her husbands' boot. I am not making this up.); Bob Ernst's magnificent mustache and vigorous support of "orga**ic" (I know he meant organic) farming; Sonia Martinez and I discovering we have been living in practically the same places for years and never knew it, plus plenty more!

HTFG - Onomea tour - Dr Roberto Coronel and Chef Ernest Miller

Dr. Roberto Coronel and Chef Ernie Miller in front of a very prolific longan tree.

Finally, wonderful presentations from Dr. Roberto Coronel, who opened our eyes to some fantastic Philippine fruits that really need to be considered here, and Chef Ernie Miller, whose energetic (I want what he eats for breakfast!) talk on the history of food preservation was a reminder of just how recently our American society lost touch with the value of food preservation such as canning and jars, and what opportunities there are for us to tap back into this skill with our multiple exotic fruits.

HTFG - Onomea tour - rambutan - green and ripening

Rambutan starting to ripen.

None of the day's events would have occurred without HTFG President Ken Love's tireless effort to bring the post-Conference "roadshow" to those of us on the neighbor islands who missed the main conference, and also our very own Cooperative Extension Agent Mark Nickum's thorough logistical coverage for the afternoon presentations. THANKS Ken and Mark!"

Ripe abiu.

I am definitely looking forward to the next HTFG - East event!

Hawaii Tropical Fruits Growers is a statewide association of fruit growers, packers, distributors and hobbyists dedicated to tropical fruit research, education, marketing and promotion and was incorporated in 1989 to promote the tropical fruit grown in the state.

For more information click HTFG