October 6, 2007

To be held at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Hotel in Kona

This is going to be a very exciting and interesting event! A wide variety of community groups will be sponsoring the “Hawai’i Island Food Security Summit.”  This gathering of Hawai’i Island farmers/producers, distributors, agricultural teachers, island policy makers, chefs, home producers, and of course folks who care about food and farming on Hawai’i Island will come together to increase overall awareness and solutions of the challenges and opportunities faced by all of us at this time, as we become more and more aware of the need to develop a strong Island Food Economy!

Hosted by the Dean of Agriculture at UH Hilo, Bill Steiner, an innovative and progressive agricultural leader, the plenary speakers, panels and breakouts promise a unique and comprehensive look at where we are, and where we might plan to go for the future of food and farming on our unique island home.

Food served at the conference will be sourced locally, and there will be a unique opportunity, perhaps historic, for food producers/farmers/chefs/and supporting organizations and businesses to come together for “Haumea’s Garden-A Local Food Exposition” to be held outside the Ballroom of the Conference.  A reception/tasting to meet farmers/producers/chefs/teachers/ and organizational leaders will begin right after the conference ends.  We expect quite a crowd and hope you all can be a part of this event.  If you have a farm, or are a food producer, gardening teacher, chef who realizes the unique value of serving locally produced foods, or supporting organization and you would like a table to display and feature your farms products, etc. please contact Melanie Bondera at melaniebondera@kanalanifarm.org.  Melanie and Kelly Lange of HOFA will be coordinating that event.

Directly following the food expo will be a Dinner hosted by Slow Food Hawai’i featuring speaker Michael Dimock, last year’s President of Slow Food USA, and now on the International Slow Food President’s Council.  Foods served at this unique buffet will be sourced locally.  Come and meet the farmers!

Right after dinner, there will be a concert by Keoki Kahumoku and Friends…a benefit for the youth agricultural programs on Hawai’i Island. The next day, Sunday October 7, HOFA will have their Annual Meeting very near the Hotel. 

Registration for this event will commence shortly, on the Kohala Center Website.  www.kohalacenter.org
Registration for the conference, tickets for dinner, or the concert will be available after July 1, 2007. 

You’ll be seeing more about this over the next 4 months!  Ironman is the next weekend, so if you will be staying over on Friday or Saturday night in Kona, make reservations soon.    I have created a page of a wide variety of places to stay, including farm B&Bs, email me if you would like to see that list.  nancyredfeather@yahoo.com

Let’s show our policy makers that we as grassroots folks really care about the future of food and farming for Hawai’i Island and for the generations to come.  It’s time for changes in county policy and expansion of opportunities for land, water, and educational opportunities from Keiki to Kupuna!  Put your roots down in Kona for a weekend and celebrate food and farming on Hawai’i’ Island!

Questions or Comments, please contact nancyredfeather@yahoo.com