The Independent Voice
“Best Agricultural Newsletter in Hawaii”
Newsletter of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association
February 2021
PO Box 5436 Kailua Kona Hawaii 96745 USA
www.konacoffeefarmers.org info@konacoffeefarmers.org
Contents
Annual Membership Meeting
The Legislature needs to Hear Our Voices
Proper Pesticide Use for CLR and CBB
COVID-19 Vaccine for Essential Workers in Agriculture
Videos: Pruning Coffee Trees
HDOA CBB Subsidy Application
Upcoming Coffee Nutrition Talk
Researchers Assess Coffee Composition
TricorBraun Flex (Pacific Bag) Price Hike
African Coffee Bureau Supports KCFA
Recipe: Indonesian Avocado Coffee Shake
Editor – Clare Wilson
Annual Membership Meeting
Aloha & Mahalo to all of our members!
The virtual meeting held on Sunday, January 31, 2021 was a great success, and special thanks are due to all of the members who were able to participate.
Your involvement is well appreciated, and attendees were able to be involved when decisions had to be made as a group. We conducted such efforts using the Poll function, and also used hand signals so each person did not need to verbally participate; overall the logistics went relatively well.
A special thanks to Chet Gardiner, who worked to put together the program and functional preparations to make the meeting happen, “on the ground”, so to speak. We sought help from and had support from Barbara Anderson and Jim Monk, who during the meeting also served as “back-up”. Thank you as well!
With great respect, we were able to review what has happened in the past year, including reports provided by Membership (Chet Gardiner), Legislative (Bruce Corker), Treasury (Jim Monk) and John Koontz (Education) Board representatives. Thanks for that extra effort.
We reviewed the impacts on our island and our membership of COVID-19 changing many aspects of farm functionality and operations. We touched on the exciting program of buying green coffee from members and then selling it as the KCFA coffee. This program continues and 2021 will see it continue to support our members and to meet our other priorities financially. Kay Dixon and Chet Gardiner have been the leaders on this effort. Thanks to them.
We also touched on the Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) issues that have come up, and the KCFA role in supporting our membership through a difficult time. Recognition that small and diversified (not only coffee) farm operations make decisions much differently than larger operations in terms of choices and actions with such a pest. We as a group must balance the other “industry” members’ emphases on help and assistance sought or provided so that it works for our whole range of members, and not only the larger-scale operations.
In that regard, we spent time reviewing ideas and hopes for opportunities and options for KCFA in the coming year. One thought is to revitalize our fundraising and farm tour and gatherings component of our efforts. We will do so with the annual EXPO (which was cancelled because of the pandemic in 2020) to be held in either Honaunau or virtually in June of 2021.
Systematic (whole system) strategies for CLR management were referred to, along with the need to involve Kamehameha Schools, the County, and the State in CLR planning, so that strategies put in place are not leaving out large amounts of property which needs CLR dealt as well….
Educational and outreach expansion was also mentioned for 2021. Dealing with the needs and strategies for organic farms was also noted, with reference made to the fact that since their needs have not been addressed by other coffee groups (such as HCA, CTAHR or SHAC), that it may be a window of opportunity for KCFA during 2021.
Our final topic was regarding legislation which needs testimony immediately regarding State programs for CBB and CLR support and for the 51% coffee blend piece which is also being heard already in the House. Members can and should testify on these pieces of legislation and will receive email reminders to so engage.
To wrap up the meeting we went through the membership process to elect a new Board of Directors. The five standing members of the Board (Barbara Anderson, Colehour Bondera, Bruce Corker, John Koontz, and John Zulkowski) were joined by eight new Board members, one of whom will only serve a one-year term to follow By-Law protocol in terms of the percentage of new Board members. The eight new members include Kay Dixon, Chet Gardiner, Shaminra Linnett, Jim Monk, Mark Petersen, Suzanne Shriner, Cecelia Smith, and Franz Weber. Welcome to all Board members for the coming year, and let us all work together to carry forth our Mission and serve our member needs.
Sincerely,
Colehour Bondera, President
The Legislature Needs to Hear our Voices
A series of bills that are of importance to Hawaii coffee farmers have been introduced in the 2021 Legislative Session. HB461 provides for reform of Hawaii’s “coffee blend” labeling law—with (among other important provisions) a requirement for a minimum 51% genuine Hawaii-grown coffee in “Hawaii coffee” blends. HB236, SB855, and SB128 provide for subsidy programs to assist farmers in combating CBB and CLR. It is important that as many coffee farmers as possible are clearly heard in legislative committee hearings on these bills.
Because of Coronavirus, for the first-time this year neighbor island residents will be able to testify via Zoom–without the need to travel by air to Honolulu in order to give live testimony. All KCFA members are encouraged to submit written and live Zoom testimony in support of these bills. In order to be “timely” and to request to testify by Zoom, written testimony and the live testimony request must be submitted 24 hours before the scheduled hearing time.
The procedures outlined by the Legislature for submitting written testimony and a request for live testimony can be found here–
https://konacoffeefarmers.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RemoteTestimony.pdf
If you missed sending testimony for the initial hearings on these coffee-related bills, please be alert for the KCFA notices of future committee hearings–and please take the 15 minutes needed to send in your testimony through the Legislature’s website. IT IS EASY TO DO.
It is important that coffee farmers take advantage of this year’s opportunity to be heard. Please testify.
–Submitted by the KCFA Legislative Committee
Proper Pesticide Use and Spraying for Coffee Leaf Rust and Coffee Berry Borer
This webinar was held January 21, 2021 and hosted by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and UH-CTAHR Cooperative Extension. We are grateful to Chet Gardiner of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association for the video editing.
Coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) and the more recently introduced, coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), are two of the most devastating pests of coffee throughout the world. Proper storage, handling, mixing, application, use and disposal of pesticides, is important for reducing farm risk, crop losses, and impact to human health and the environment, etc., due to misuse of pesticides. Overall proper management of these pests is also vital to farm profitability.
Proper Pesticide Use and Spraying for Coffee Leaf Rust and Coffee Berry Borer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec3kzGKVajw&t=2s
COVID-19 Vaccines for Essential Workers in Agriculture
According to the latest federal and state guidance, essential workers (including Agriculture!) have been identified to be given priority for COVID-19 vaccination. We need your assistance to identify the essential workers within your organization in Hawaii by county/island to assist in coordinating vaccination efforts targeted at you and your staff. Fill out the survey here to be put on the notification list for vaccine access.
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=xt5HOLJj-UOm0FikCqoaEIIJjJU_6l1Ou62Wfal-6TdUOU1ZMVNFVktJNE5HME9JS0w5RzY1N1gxNi4u
–Submitted by Suzanne Shriner
Pruning Coffee Trees Videos
Well , it’s that time of year again. Hopefully, all the coffee has been picked, the fields have been stripped. and it’s time to get to the pruning. Attached are a few videos which pretty well cover the subject. They are worth watching if you are a relatively new farmer, or if you could use a quick refresher on the subject.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og3yql0TWR8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_i2Qw0Ozkc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UObXaaLYXfA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xz-vRzCsUI
Mahalo, and happy pruning………… John Koontz, KCFA Education Committee
Preview YouTube video KCFA Pruning Workshop 2016
Preview YouTube video Coffee : Stumping & Pruning ENGLISH
Preview YouTube video COFFEE PRUNING – Tradition and Innovation
HDOA CBB Subsidy Application
Please apply for your HDOA Coffee Borer Beetle Subsidy now. While you may be turning your attention to managing Coffee Leaf Rust, this reimbursement for 50% of your original Botanigard or Mycotrol receipts will assist with your farm expenses. Start online here or email Melanie Bondera a hdoa.cbb@hawaii.gov or phone 808-323-7578.
–Submitted by Melanie Bondera
Upcoming Coffee Nutrition Talk
In February, Arturo Ballar will be giving a talk regarding coffee nutrition and good farming practices on his farm in South Kona.
With a degree in Biology, and the experience gained from five generations of coffee farming in Costa Rica, Arturo has now settled here on the Big Island. He has been putting his knowledge to use establishing a farm where, although focusing on Typica, he has been experimenting with different techniques and cultivars in order to broaden his knowledge.
Although some of his ideas and techniques don’t run parallel with the predominant conventions, I believe that in order to grow as farmers, we must be not only be willing, but also striving to learn more and be open to at least hear new ideas. He has a business doing soil and leaf sampling, and designing fertilizing programs according to each farm’s specific needs. He has the capacity to explain in simple terms how the different elements in fertilizers relate to and interact with each other, and what is needed to get the most efficiency from nutrients in fertilizers.
Due to COVID guidelines, this presentation will be limited to six (6) people. Masks and social distancing are required. Because of the limited number of participants, I ask that only those who definitely will attend contact me, and depending on the turnout, other opportunities will be presented.
Mahalo, John Koontz, KCFA Education Committee
Date: February 11
Time: 9:30 am
Place: Middle Keei Rd. (more information later)
Contact: John Koontz john@konaloha.com
Researchers Assess Coffee Composition
https://www.comunicaffe.com/researchers-have-discovered-a-new-way-to-assess-coffee-bean-composition-after-roasting/
“…Coffee blends can have good quality and flavor. However, arabica beans are more desirable than other types, resulting in a higher market value for blends containing a higher proportion of this variety. In some cases, producers dilute their blends with the less expensive robusta beans, yet that is hard for consumers to discern…”
–Submitted by Cecelia Smith
Important Update on Stock Products from TricorBraun Flex (Pacific Bag)
If you use roasted coffee (stand up foil pouches) bags from Pacific Bag, TRICORBRAUN flex recently sent this message to its buyers. “Over the past several years TB Flex has experienced increased costs from our vendors but chose to hold our prices. Due to the rising cost of business, we are no longer able to maintain prices at the current rate. It is necessary to increase our prices for all stock products by 6%. This price increase will be effective on all orders placed on or after March 1, 2021.”
If you want to order a supply of your bags, now’s the time to save. Go here: www.tricorbraunflex.com
The African Coffee Bureau Supports the KCFA
In December Saleh Nakendo, a founder of the African Coffee Bureau and head of the Bureau’s Washington, DC office, went out of his way to renew the ACB’s Supporting Membership in the Kona Coffee Farmers Association. While expressing gratitude for help from KCFA Membership Committee Chair Chet Gardiner in overcoming technical difficulties in the renewal process, Mr. Nakendo also observed that African coffee farmers and Kona coffee farmers share economic interests in promoting and protecting the identities of “origin coffees”. A review of the ACB website ( https://www.africacoffeebureau.us/ ) shows that one of the Bureau’s objectives is to highlight “African Robusta” as a prized heritage coffee variety—just as the KCFA seeks to promote and protect “Kona Typica” as Kona’s heritage coffee.
In response to the emailed notice of the KCFA’s Annual General Membership meeting, this message was received from the ACB:
To the Outgoing BoD and Management of KCFA, our tribute and congratulations to you for your sincere devotion for betterment of Kona Coffee Farmers. Africa Coffee Bureau (ACB) continues to admire the cause for which KCFA was founded and we are committed to our corporation with you. ACB wish the next leadership good time.
Africa Coffee Bureau
Washington, DC
.–Submitted by Bruce Corker
Recipe: Es Alpukat (Indonesian Avocado/Coffee Shake)
Ingredients
8 oz. mashed avocado
1 cup strong brewed coffee
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
10 ice cubes
chocolate syrup
Blend avocado, coffee, condensed milk, vanilla, and ice cubes. Pour in a glass and drizzle chocolate syrup over.
(There are many variations to this recipe)
Recipes Wanted! If any of you have coffee recipes that you would like to share, please submit them to the editor: clare@huahuafarm.com
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! >> Write to us. We welcome Letters to the Editor up to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name and email address >> Email: info@KonaCoffeeFarmers.org with SUBJECT: Commentary.