Don’t step on the chickens, and watch out for the tall stilted lady on Saturday when the Kauai County Farm Bureau gets support from a host of community sponsors to host its annual Tribute to Past Kauai Farm Fairs and the 2025 Fruit and Vegetable Show at the Kukui Grove Center.
“Yes, we’ll have the chickens,” said Melissa McFerrin-Warrack of the Kukui Grove leadership team. “And the stilted lady is supposed to come visit.”
In an attempt at recreating the atmosphere of the Kauai County Farm Fair that ended with the pandemic, the Kauai County Farm Bureau has enlisted the aid of community sponsors and contributors to keep the essence of the previous fairs alive by offering the traditional Fruit and Vegetable Show that feature judging and prizes, displays and exhibits, and related giveaways.
The day starts at 8 a.m. with the participants of the Fruit and Vegetable Show bringing in their submissions. The Kauai Bonsai Club re-opens their doors at 9 a.m. following the Friday preview, and everything else will be set to run from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
“Our giveaway this year is a secret,” said farmer and crafter Mayette Loseto. “Last year, remember we did sweet potato and people were coming with grocery carts and all kinds of things to carry them. You have to come to the show to get this year’s item.”
Joining the Fruit and Vegetable Show — and through the support of the Ulupono Initiative, Matson, Kukui Grove, the Hawaii Tropical Flowers and Foliage Association, the Kauai Bonsai Club, the Department of Agriculture, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources — the shopping center will be filled with agriculture-related exhibits, talks and presentations and entertainment, including the Boys &Girls Club of Hawaii hosting family-friendly games as a fundraiser, similar to how nonprofits hosted food booths and games as fundraisers during past farm fairs.
“Our lunchtime Chefs in the Spotlight — Chef Steven Nakata of the Kauai Community College Culinary Arts Department, and Chef Nalani Kaneakua, advocate for last week’s Limu Festival in Anahola — will be working with ingredients from the farmers market vendors,” said Laurie Ho, president of the Kauai County Farm Bureau. “Brian Yamamoto, he’s a botany professor at the college, will be giving away Okinawa Spinach. Is yours green or red? Brian will be giving away the red variety.”
The Kauai Bonsai Club is taking advantage of being able to offer a “preview” on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the room adjacent to Sone’s Delicatessen. The bonsai professionals will be back on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. where they will be joined by local lei maker Elvrine Chow of Heavenly Haku, and representatives of the Hawaii Tropical Flowers and Foliage Association creating floral designs that are available for purchase.
The Kauai Menehune Kitchen that vends a combination of starters and assorted baked goods, including a selection of bread loaves, will join the offering of vendors, including the Master Gardeners who will have a selection of seeds they will be giving away.
The Kauai County Farm Bureau, affiliated with the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and the American Farm Bureau, is a grassroots member-based nonprofit organization of farming families and friends of farmers. Collaborating with the Kukui Grove Center, and The Shops at Kukuiula, the farm bureau presents the weekly Pau Hana Market on Mondays at Kukui Grove, and The Kauai Culinary Market on Wednesdays at The Shops at Kukuiula.
Source: The Garden Island
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