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Arrived in Manila to a warm reception for the delegates of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii 28th Goodwill & Trade Mission to the Philippines. #mabuhay #FCCH
Excited to co-lead with Vanessa Kop, President of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the 28th Goodwill & Trade Mission to the Philippines. #mabuyhay #FCCH
Recently visited with Bob Enderson and John Oliva of the Kohala Mountain Fish Company (KMFC), where they produce tilapia year around at its farming and processing facility.
KMFC utilizes two mountain springs in all stages of tilapia growth. Approximately 1.38 billion gallons of water per day is captured in aquifers 8,000 to 12,000 feet below the surface. With very little human interference or mechanical processing, this water is certified to be naturally free of heavy metal, chemical or excessive mineral content. Its processing facility is on site and can provide both fresh and frozen processing.
As part of the ‘Aina Pono Hawaii State Farm to School Program and its new scratch-cooked menus that are being developed, the Hawaii State Department of Education plans to to test feature their fish in the very near future.
I learned so much about ulu when I recently visited Dana Shapiro, manager of the Hawaii Ulu Producers Cooperative (HUPC).
Ulu or breadfruit is one of Hawaii's original food crops that has been a local staple for nearly a thousand years. It's incredibly versatile and it can be prepared in a wide variety of delicious ways. Ulu is low in fat, low glycemic, non-GMO, and gluten-free. It's an excellent source of fiber.
I got to try ulu hummus with garden fresh vegetables, ulu chocolate mousse, frozen bananas, frozen papaya, see the HUPC staff in the ulu production kitchen, and I even planted a ulu tree with Dana.
Like the Hawaii State Department of Education, the HUPC received a USDA Farm to School grant, and will be collaborating with school food service directors, chef instructors at local colleges, farm to school consultants, and local food producers to develop new recipes using breadfruit. They will create additional supporting resources as part of an "ulu-to-school toolkit" to distribute across the state.
The HUPC also plans to expand its integrated educational programs by working with the Kona Pacific Public Charter School to restructure current lesson plans and link in-school curriculum with agriculture-based learning opportunities. The goal of the project is to enhance food security, sustainability and enrichment in schools by incorporating more breadfruit.
Mahalo for a great visit!
‘Aina Pono Farm to School
