When Kapiolani Community College’s Saturday farmers market turns 10 this week, it will be a benchmark of the success of agriculture activists to connect residents with locally grown food. Since the opening of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation event, one of the first real farmers markets on Oahu, markets have popped up all over the island.
The KCC market, 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturdays, with its 65 to 70 vendors, has continued to draw crowds all the while. A slow week means 7,000 visitors, says Kacey Robello, the farm bureau’s farmers market general manager. A busy week draws 10,000.
"And we know it’s local people," she said of the bulk of market shoppers. "Once there was a (University of Hawaii) game that was televised early, like 9 a.m. or something, and the market was empty. It was amazing."
KCC FARMERS MARKET 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Where: Kapiolani Community College, 4303 Diamond Head Road
When: 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday
Info: hfbf.org Opens in a new tab or 848-2074 |
‘Nalo Farms owner Dean Okimoto was farm bureau president when he co-founded the KCC market with food writer Joan Namkoong. He said a new problem farmers may have to contend with, in the face of so many markets, is a saturation point.
"How will farmers get to more than one market? It’s not there yet, but we’re pretty close," he said. "It’s a good problem to have."
Each week, there are at least 40 markets open across Oahu.
The success of the markets translates to success for vendors as well. A number of vendors are opening their own establishments after starting out at KCC.
Via Gelato is setting up shop on 12th Avenue, and the Pig and the Lady will serve meals at Lemongrass Café downtown.
Smoked meat vendor Guava Smoked is starting a lunch joint at the corner of Republican and Kalihi streets, a site that owner Scott Shibuya found on Craigslist. The eatery, which features Shinsato pork and ‘Nalo greens, is set to open Tuesday.
"We hoped to save up enough money to open our own brick-and-mortar in two to three years, but in two years we saved enough and built up a following of return customers," he said.
But Shibuya isn’t leaving the market. He will continue on at Blaisdell and Kailua.
Numerous vendors are offering special products for the celebration. Sharon Kobayashi of Akamai Foods is making BYOR (bring your own rum) mojitos using limes from North Shore Farms and PIT Farms.
"There’s a celebration lemonade I make for special family get-togethers," she said. "I had a hard time getting my hands on lemons, but I got a lot of limes."
Maunawili Greens, which sells hydroponic lettuces, will serve lettuce wraps; Hawaii’s Best Ever Nuts & Candies will pass out lollipops to their first 50 customers; and North Shore Farms will feature fried kabocha and roasted heirloom winter squash.
Chef Colin Hazama of Sheraton Waikiki created a special dish: cassava-crusted kampachi served with butternut squash puree, smoked swiss chard, hearts of palm and cucumber mostarda, topped with yuzu sauce.
Visitors can take home prizes donated by market vendors; these include vegetable boxes, vendor gift certificates, gift baskets and T-shirts, totes and shopping bags.
