Female farmers in Hāna discuss their journeys tonight on free Zoom presentation

Four female farmers discuss their journeys with farming in the remote town of Hāna during a free online presentation June 22 by the Hāna Chapter of Hawai’i Farmers Union United.

“Wahine Farmers – Voices of East Maui” will feature Gina Lind of Lind ʻOhana Farm & Fishing; Yuko Shinoda Gaffney, Honua Hoʻonani; Fawn Helekahi, Koali Kline; and Lehua Park, farmer.

Music will be by Helekahi, who also is Director of the UH Maui College Hāna Education Center.

The Zoom presentation and music runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. To register, click here.

About the presenters:

Lind and her husband Greg believe their farm and fishing operation allows them an opportunity to teach their children hard work and sustainable agricultural practices. Gina is also a long-time teacher at Hāna School and aims to pass on her skills and trade by providing educational field trips and student work opportunities on their farm.

After growing up farming and raising animals with Eunice and Greg Lind Sr. in Kipahulu, Gina and Greg decided to carry on the tradition by starting their own farm. With the onset of the pandemic, the Lind ‘ohana pivoted their business from supplying outlying restaurants to providing food for their own community. One of the first vendors to participate in the Hāna Farmers Market, the Lind’s wondered if the community would enjoy sharing in the abundance of their products and family recipes.

Shinoda owns and operates Honua Ho’onani, which specializes in Native Hawaiian plants and organic vegetable starts grown by herself, her husband Peter and their two sons Kanoa and Makana.

From a young age, Shinoda began gardening and cooking with her grandmother in Japan. Upon transitioning to Maui, she continued her training in sustainable agriculture as an organic farmer in both Huelo and Kipahulu. Most recently, she joined the Kahanu Gardens staff as nursery manager. Unfortunately, as a result of the pandemic, she found herself unemployed.

“Joining the farmers market was the perfect opportunity to start my own business and share knowledge of Hawaiian Native plants and Japanese food culture,” Shinoda said.

Helekahi’s farm Koali Kine began in 2004 on her family’s land. The farm provides fresh fruit, plants and flowers to the Hāna community every Friday at the farmers market. Koali Kine is a 7th generation family-owned and operated farm in the district of Koali. Located on family lands passed down from King Kamehameha III, Fawn Helekahi and Paulo Burns ‘ohana work together to share their farm fresh produce and products with the Hāna community each week at the market.

Fawn also enjoys playing music and sharing her beautiful voice for local businesses in East Maui, sometimes along with her family.

Park is Kūpuna Coordinator at Ma Ka Hana Ka Ike, a vocational training program for K-12 youth. She also is Secretary of HFUU Hāna Chapter and is very involved in her East Maui Community, advocating for farmers every day.