BROCCOLI : compost as art

and to think it almost got thrown-out without being fully appreciated.

MOV-ED

For 3+ years Evening Rain Farm has been the only home we've known on the Big Island.  Every morning (and not-morning) we were serenaded by off-key roosters, sought-out by hungry hens, pooed on by a wide variety of smaller critters (bugs, geckos, anoles), visited occasionally by chameleons, sprinkled with tropical showers, cooled by trade winds, lullabied by coquis and nourished by the orchards.

We learned volumes about ourselves, our friends, our purpose and our world.  We continue to be grateful for our experiences there and the relationships we have because of them.  I like to think we are more capable, confident and competent because of the environment there and what we were able to create for ourselves.

We are now expanding our experience, ourselves, our skills and our story by moving a whopping 1/4 mile away!  Our lovely friends offered to be our new landlords in exchange for our work on their house and property.  So, we are helping them to finish up their beautiful house and addition, which is to be a Bed & Breakfast when it's all said and done.

So, we've moved and are moving onward and upward!!  We have sheet-rock walls, hot water in the kitchen and a CALIFORNIA king size bed!!  Now we get to decide just how much we wish to be effected by the current weather at any given time with these fancy contraptions called WINDOWS!  Oh yes, we're quite living the high-life.  :)

Check out our new digs!!!....

THE SINK COMES W/ HOT WATER!

WE HAVE A CLOSET!!

Nanawale Forest Reserve

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Arthur and Ann venturing into the forest reserve to look for Miconia, a large invasive tree that is threatening the native forest species.  The Miconia grow so rapidly that in a short time they will shade out all surrounding plant life.  This plant has taken over entire islands in the Pacific and destroyed nearly all other plant life there.  When we find Miconia, we cut them down and put a few drops of herbicide on the stump to prevent them from re-growing.  Ann has tested this herbicide to ensure it's safety to the surrounding environment and specificity to the plant to which it is applied. 

Large "shaggy-barked" O'hia tree mingling with the arms of Hala trees under a vast canopy of Hala leaves. > > 

**BLUSH** Inter-species ferning  > >

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African violets litter the forest and the sides of our dirt roads.  Amazing how many continents have made their impression on this little island so far from the rest of the world.  

THE HALA STORY....

Here's a young  Hala on the forest floor.  Hala, aka "Screw Pine", are unique in the spiraling effect of their leaves and their trunks.  One of the many things in nature that resembles our DNA structure, these fantastic trees serve as a constant reminder of our inter-connectedness with everything around us.










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Hala leaves or lauhala (L-OW-HA-LA) were traditionally used for making tapa cloth.  They fall of the trees and dry on the floor below.  They are made of an incredibly sturdy, waterproof material. But CAREFUL! they have thorns on their edges that'll GETCHA. 

< < < < < Here's a view from the forest floor of a mature Hala tree.  Their aerial root system is striking.  Many visitors who have seen these around often think they are man-made "teepee" structures.  Nope, just nature showing off.  
At the top of this Hala there is a Bird's Nest Fern splaying itself out and catching the shadows of the hala leaves above.



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The fecundity of Hawai'i is on display throughout the forests, oceans and orchards.  Between fruits, seeds, roots, urchins,  flowers and fish, sex is everywhere.  Take the hala root, one of the most falic items of the forest, it has a head at the growing end of it's shaft which plunges into the earth for stability and nourishment.  Unfortunately, I don't yet have any photos up of our very "feminine" aspects of nature. 








< < < < < < Waiwi (VY-VEE) or Strawbery guava is another invasive that is over-abundant in Hawaiian forests, although the wood is a tremendous resources.  







































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Bird's Nests ferns perch themselves in the most scenic places throughout the forest.  Although, to be true to their names, they would have to house pterodactyls to really utilize their immense size.  The larger ones could easily fit a few people sitting cross-legged.  





































< < < Closer-up Bird's Nest fern

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This is the underside of a Bird's Nest fern, where is keeps it's spores. 

One of my favorite things about the abundance of ferns here, is the strange lovelyness that is their means of reproduction.  The spores of ferns vary in size, color and location.  

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This is one of my favorite photos of the Lawae fern spores (pronounced LA-VA-A).

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Kupukupu fern and spores 
(COO-POO-COO-POO)

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Mr & Mrs CrazyMossHair

can you see them?  

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LOVELILY

.DA END.

2nd Annual ERF Cookie Party

Last year we celebrated Lauren's coming home for the holidays from her first semester away at college and Cassie's moving to the island by baking a ridiculous amount and variety of cookies.  We brought all the ingredients to Karin's to make up our doughs in her spacious kitchen.  Then, since Arthur and I have the only oven on the land, we all caravanned down to our cabin and got cozy.  Between Karin, Lauren, Rachael, Cassie and me we had so many cookies we didn't even like them anymore by the end.  Rachael played/sang a Regina Spektor song, which I attempted to do backup vocals for.  And I serenaded/guitared Lauren with The Moldy Peaches' "Anyone Else But You".  Then Lauren shared a song with all of us.  It was so fun we said that we would do it again the next time she was home for the holidays.

Well, this year the cookie party grew.  Maggie and Katherine were the most recent additions, and the rest of us, Karin, Lauren, Cassie, Rachael and me.  And this time, I made cinnamon rolls instead of cookies.  


Lauren made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, Cassmagrine made lemon shortbread and ginger cookies, Rachael made almond shortbread.  The dough for the cinnamon rolls was from a milk bread recipe (Joy of Cooking) and the icing was cream cheese icing w/ vanilla, orange zest and lemon juice.


So we mixed everything together at Karin's and, just like last year, trekked down to our cabin for the baking.  Lauren and Karin brought bread and cheese, Rachael made seasoned nori popcorn and I broke out the chips and salsa (local pineapple and chipotle varities!)to snack on and to help balance out all the sugar.  Everything was lovely!!  We cookie-partied till after 10 PM!  We even threw in an arm wrestling match and fingernail painting!

agghhhh!!! ... but I'm home now

So...
got up at 5 am, made toast and coffee, brushed my teeth, found some decent clothes, pulled the infusing-honey out of the stove and boxed it all up, packed my bag for the day and at some point convinced myself to wash my face despite the frigid water and the goosebumps that came with just the thought of submerging my face in my own little antarctica.  bbrrrrr!!  So much for forgetting winter. 

Driving the scooter makes
me feel cool

Headed up to the truck, filled up the tank on Ghengis, kick started that bitch until my legs were too tired and Scott had to step in .... finally got her purring.  Left 20 minutes late because of Ghengis' dead battery and sticky kick-start-peddle-thing-god-damnit.  
Stopped at Dragon's Eye so Scott could grab some boxes of oranges for Love Family Foods' fresh squeezed OJ.  Headed down to Chitta's to pick up Avos and Aloe fillets, then on to Josanna's where Janelle had set out more Avos, tangerines, ulu, lemons and garden keikis.  Then to Stacy's for some Apple banana... then to S.P.A.C.E.!!!  Quick pause at Stacy's to get some Sherree Chamberlain in my ear for the scenic drive down the coast to Seaview as the sun was cracking the horizon.  
S.P.A.C.E., got our beautiful, vibrant, luscious booth all set up and ready.  A bit too flustered for photos...  even though I brought the camera just for such an occasion! 

Market was HOPPIN.  Lots of folks turned out to say "we missed you S.P.A.C.E. farmers' market! and we're glad your back, here's my EBT."  Business seemed pretty good.  Got to say aloha and share cheek kisses and smiles with good friends and company, and just good ole' familiar faces.  One of my favorite things about S.P.A.C.E. is that moment in the middle of market when you look around and feel all warm and fuzzy when you see the bigger family community that you're a part of and contributing to.  Little half naked babies runnin' around, old friends and lovers sharing intimate news, glances, smiles and contact.  Good food smells fill the air, along with laughter and music.  People sharing good food they made and grew themselves, along with tips about soil fertility, composting, animal husbandry, pruning, acrobatics, dancing, biofuel, biochar, worms, astrology, tarot, supplements, and so much more.  
Lauren came and spent some time, which was lovely considering we haven't spent much time really hanging out and connecting since she's been home.  She shared a delishus smoothie from Tom with me.  Mmmm, mango and banana and orange juice!!  She also manned the booth so I could pee.  
I bought an awesome shirt for $3 from the Juice Girl, or Mohani?  I just call her the Juice Girl.

Underside of tree tunnels between Seaview and Pahoa

AND THEN..... about 12pm I started packin' it in.  Got all my shit broken down and together just in time to leave for Pahoa, where I would print out directions on how to take meeting minutes, grab a quick bite and pupus for the meeting I was headed to, and be rescued by a mechanic who kick started Ghengis when she turned up her nose at me.  Off to Kurtistown.  KURTISTOWN! geez.  Found Cary's house okay, she live in a sky blue geodesic dome!!  And has two alarm-geese outside to alert the presence of visitors, they yelled at me a lot.  It sounds a bit like if a train was sliding off the tracks.  Only worse, somehow.  
Meeting under way.  8 people all vying for why their opinion is the most important at the moment, and should be discussed at length.  Good things covered, not so good things covered.  Rather, non-pertinent things.  3 hours of interrupting and arguing and back-and-forth and unanswered questions and too many opinions from too many opinionated people.  5 pages of notes, front and back.  Why did I say yes to being nominated secretary?
Meeting over...FINALLY!  And just in time for me to drive in the dark on one of the sketchiest hwys on the island.  Hey, at least it wasn't raining.  
Home now!!  managed to stop for gas and beer and didn't get stranded with Ghengis.  Now, it's beer and blog and arthur's making PIZZA and the girls are going to come down to be our friends.


EL FIN

productive.....

is a nice way to feel at the end of my day.


This morning I met with Karin to talk about needed preparations for the swarming season which is close at hand.  We'll need to put the finishing touches on our 2 new hives, each of which are horizontal Top Bar Hives, one with the dimensions of PJ Chandler 's (The Barefoot Beekeeper) and the other is made by the Golden Mean.  We'll need to come up with more swarm traps, create more Top Bars to replace the frames in our 4 Langstroth hives, decide on areas where we want any new hives and prepare the areas, and weatherproof all newly constructed hives.


After my bee meeting I headed back down to our area where I felled some big leguminous trees for fodder for Eustice.  He really like the legume-trees.  Also cut down some Malokia and Secropia trees for him, this also helped to clear the pasture border a bit more.  Then I harvested a bunch of green and red ti stalks and put the ends in a bucket of water so they'll begin making air roots.  Once they've made little root buds, I'll plant them all throughout Eustice's pasture for snacks.  He loves ti leaves.  A few days ago I moved his pasture borders again, and now our pineapples are safe from his nibbling!  He's doing good, but still impressing us with his Houdini-ness.  He thinks it's so fun to escape and come find us to rub our noses in it, then he gets all excited and prances around and runs in circles and chases us around.  It's quite cute.


After my Ti propagation, I went on a coconut retrieval mission around the neighborhood.  I loaded myself on the scooter and took off looking in papaya fields and on the side of our road for any signs of decent dried coconuts.  Managed to pull together a small load and got it stacked on Ghengis (the Ruckus) and took off for home all saddled up like I was on a camel.  The cocos made a big enough pile that I had to ride with my legs propped up on them, it was pretty comical looking to the cars that passed me. 


I recently bought a pair of $6 headphones from Long's and it has made my scooter adventures even more lovely, as now I can create my own soundtrack as I go.  Plus, I love serenading the trees as I harvest or weed or just scoot by.  My most recent serenades have been comprised of Sherree Chamberlain's album "The Wasp in the Room", which I must say has some very endearing cover art.

Got the cocos back and set them in the carport for Little Fire Ant testing, which consists of smearing p-butter on them and waiting to see if those tiny, orange bugga's show up.  So far, no LFAs. :)


Came home and began preparing to make more of my scrumptious and good-for-you infused, medicinal honeys.  The flavor combos I've made so far are:
~Rosemary & Garlic
~Hawaiian Chili & Yellow Ginger
~Lavender Vanilla Chamomile
~Hamakua Shade-Grown Coffee
~Tangerine Spice:  Tangerine peel, allspice, clove and vanilla bean
Nearly all my ingredients are local and most come from right outside our kitchen.  Local ingredients include: Rosemary, Hawaiian chili, yellow ginger, vanilla bean, Hamakua coffee, tangerine, allspice and of course HONEY.  The honey in this batch is from the August harvest.  It's dark and amber, and luscious.

Cloudy....
......sunny....cloudy....
...cloudy...sunny......
Sunny....cloudy...


Nice to know nature gets a little indecisive sometimes, too.