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You may have seen or heard about Agriculture Stewardship Hawaii or recognize its logo. You may not know that it is the synergistic byproduct of the merging of two organizations - the Oahu Resource Conservation & Development Council and Oahu Agriculture and Conservation Association. They have been involved in helping farmers and ranchers recover from the Kona low storms of March 2026 and Hurricane Lala in August, and in this episode we speak to their Executive Director, Dave Elliott and their Director of Food Systems and Statewide Food Systems Coordinator, Amanda Shaw about how and why the merger happened and details about all their work with and for Hawaii agriculture. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Agriculture Stewardship Hawaii (ASH) Oahu Agriculture and Conservation Association (OACA)Oahu Resource Conservation & Development (ORCD) Hawaii Act 239 Hawaiʻi Statewide Food Systems Coordination Kona Low storms Hurricane Lala Our podcast with NRCSOur podcast with Hunter Heaivilin, Hawaii Farmers Union’s Advocacy Director and founder of SupersistenceASH's Kona Low Farm & Ranch Recovery Fact SheetGet Connected to ASH's services ASH’s Farmer Help Desk Phone & Email: Call (808) 622-9026 or email [email protected] Drop-In: Visit on Wednesdays from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Kunia Farm Center, 92-1770 Kunia Road, Suite 101, Kunia Camp, HI 96759Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

You have probably heard of Hawaii Farm Bureau and their annual state-wide farm fair and their annual convention, but did you know that they are first and foremost an advocate for farmer-focused Hawaii agriculture bills? Did you know that if you have an idea for a bill that could help Hawaii agriculture that there is a path to working with the Farm Bureau to make it a law? In this episode we speak with Executive Director Brian Miyamoto about the work of HFB and why you may want to be involved. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Hawaii Farm Bureau (HFB) Our podcast with Hunter from HFUU Hawaii State Farm FairHFB Annual ConventionHFB Farmers MarketsOur podcast with Tim Richards Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

If you are an agriculture producer in Hawaii, you have heard about feral ungulates. Those are the pigs, goats, and deer that run wild on the islands and can do such extensive damage to crops and the land. Many are frustrated by their impact and spend thousands of dollars to keep them out or even more to recover from the damage they do. When on Oahu, we discovered Iggy from Makana Provisions, who is trying to address this invasive animal problem by hunting them, processing them, and then selling them to feed the islands and beyond. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Makana ProvisionsMakana FoundationMakana WildContact via email: [email protected] Contact via phone: 808-838-9315 Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

At times when it can feel like people are at opposite extremes and cannot or will not agree, and anger and frustrations become barriers to moving things forward, Dr. Donna Ching from the Pacific Center for Collaboration can step in to find ways to reach consensus. Normally on Oahu, she had a work trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, so when she had some time between her facilitation workshops, we met at Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Pacific Center for Collaboration Ag Leadership's Hawaii Ag ConferenceOur podcast with Diane Ley and Molly Mamaril about the Ag Leadership ConferenceHawaii Association of Nonprofit OrganizationsFind out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

We have spoken with a number of Hawaii agriculture producers that say they are interested in making and selling value-added products, but are unable to find a certified kitchen to use or rent near them, or feel a little overwhelmed by what the Department of Health requires. In this episode, we speak with Anthony Florig, Program Manager of Hawaii Commercial Kitchens about a program he runs to help address these issues. We review the resources the program has to offer, both in person and online, and get a tour of the Hilo Food Hub’s commercial kitchen space. If you are only listening to this podcast, you’ll be able to understand the essence of the things we talk about, but this is one episode you may want to watch on our YouTube channel to also see the things discussed. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Hawaii Commercial KitchensHilo Food HubHawaii Commercial Kitchens Kitchen Directory Hawaii Commercial Kitchens Workshops Hawaii Department of Health Food Info Hawaii Department of Health Homemade Food Operation Hawaii Department of Health Homemade Food Establishment PermitHawaii Commercial Kitchens ResourcesHawaii Commercial Kitchens RegistrationHawaii Commercial Kitchens YouTube ChannelOahu's Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development CenterWith thanks to Hoʻōla Farms and their Food Hub, Farm-to-Car, and other programs: https://hoolafarms.org/programs/  Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

Many Hawaii agriculture producers we speak with feel stressed and a bit confused by the workings of politics and the bills in the legislature. They want to see important changes happen, but are unclear what agriculture-related bills may be in session, or how individuals can be more involved to help things change. In this episode we speak with Hunter Heaivilin, Hawaii Farmers Union’s Advocacy Director and founder of Supersistence to try to get a handle on the state of things in early 2026 and what folks can do to help impact the changes they want to see. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: SupersistenceHawaii Farmers Union United (HFU) Hawaii agriculture bill tracking and legislative progressNational Healthy Soils Policy NetworkOur podcast with NRCSOur podcast with Hawaii Ulu Co-opFind out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

Spend enough time around Hawaii farmers and ranchers and you’ll soon hear the name of the Federal agency Natural Resources Conservation Service (or NRCS). You may hear the word "conservation' and not necessarily think that they help agriculture producers, but if you have spoken with NRCS, or to folks that have worked with them, you will wonder why you haven’t reached out to them sooner! To better understand NRCS and what they can do to help, we speak with the Director for all of the Pacific Islands Area, J.B. Martin, and NRCS Outreach Coordinator, Jolene Lau, as well as two Hawaii agriculture producers that have been working with NRCS.  Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: NRCS Pacific Islands Area Office Home Page NRCS Pacific Islands Area Office StaffFarm Bill UpdatesJune 2025 article about NRCS staff cutsApply by January 15th reminder Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

Who knew that the Hawaii Department of Health had a veterinarian on staff?! We didn’t until we met Hawaii DOH’s one and only Public Health Veterinarian at a Hawaii Island conference in Kona. From speaking with her, it seems that’s true for a lot of folks in Hawaii, so in this episode we share our talk with recent Hawaii transplant, Ariella Barry, who was hired by the state DOH to fill a 20 year vacancy, and just in time to lend a hand during the 2025 Federal Government shutdown. We spoke with her during that Federal shutdown. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Hawaii Department of Health Veterinary Emergency + Referral Center (VERC)One HealthAvian Influenza at duck sanctuaryPodcast with Jeff CorleHawaii Humane Society (for grief support groups)To reach Ariella, call the DOH Disease Reporting Line: 808-586-4586 and ask for the veterinarian on staff.Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

Every day, hundreds of people drive to the very end of the road out of Honokaʻa on the northeast corner of Hawaii island to peer into Waipio valley from the lookout. They see that many signs warn to do the right thing, or “be pono,” and show respect by heeding the “Road Closed, Local Traffic Only” signs and keeping their vehicles out of the valley. So most wonder what happens in Waipio valley. One sign shares that Waipio valley has a thousand-year taro (kalo in Hawaiian) farming tradition. Kalo is used to produce one of the more popular indigenous foods on the islands, poi. Kalo was once a staple of the Hawaiian diet and poi is still quite popular on the islands. You can find fresh poi from Waipio valley in the local grocery stores and even at Costco. But how is poi made and who in Waipio valley is still making it? In this episode we speak with Kahealani from Mokuwai Piko Poi, Inc. whose family has been making and selling Waipio poi since the 1970s. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Mokuwai Piko Poi on Instagram2023 Hawaii Public Radio podcast about Waipio valley Glossary of Taro (kalo) words and translation UH GoFarm’s many programs for growing farmersFind out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

We listen to and discuss dairy farmer Jeff Corle’s song “Empty Barn” and speak with him about this song he wrote when he was "at the bottom." We find out how it helped his mental health, and what happened when it went somewhat viral and the reactions from others started to pour in. We also speak with some agriculture producers that heard Jeff’s song and they share what this song has meant to them.  Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Empty Barn video Abby Wiedmeyer’s article about Jeff Julie’s Zajac’s farm Denny Hutchison’s work in the ag community Brené BrownJeff’s websiteJeff’s YouTube channel Jeff’s Tiktok Jeff’s Instagram Seeds of Wellbeing’s Hawaii Ag Mentors Seeds of Wellbeing “Cool Mind” eBooks Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

In this episode, we explore topics like natural lifemanship, heart math and coherence with Paige Deponte, Founder and Executive Director of The Spirit Horse Ranch on Maui. Paige discovered and learned these techniques to help manage her own trauma, and so now trained on them and teaches others how they can see their benefits, and uses her horses as part of the process. We discuss these techniques in detail and how they may be of help to  anyone that has experienced trauma. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: The Spirit Horse RanchNatural LifemanshipMore about Heart Math and HorsesHeart Math program websiteHeart Math App Paige mentionsMake a donation to The Spirit Horse Ranch Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

In this episode we speak with folks from the Hawaii County Department of Finance, Property Tax Administration office, about recent changes to Hawaii County’s property tax regulations and filing requirements that can allow agriculture producers to receive, or continue to receive, preferential property tax rates for their property on the Big Island of Hawaii. These changes have created quite a stir among agriculture producers so we wanted to get more information and some clarification about these changes. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: County of Hawaii Property Tax website County Agriculture Program FAQsCounty Agriculture Requirements & BenefitsCounty Agriculture Use ValuesCounty Rules and Regulations detailsOur podcast with Senator Tim RichardsLisa’s contact information: [email protected]’s contact information: [email protected] out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

By all accounts, Green Point Nurseries on the Big Island of Hawaii is a success story, so we decided to pay them a visit. In this episode, we talk about how this family, now in its third generation of cut flower production, has gotten through the hurdles of family succession, shifting markets, and growing pains that any agriculture producer will experience over many decades of growing and selling in, and from Hawaii. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Green Point Nurseries UH Tadashi Higaki’s publication with Donald Watson “Anthurium Culture in Hawaii” Hawaii Floriculture Nursery Association (HEFNA)Podcast with CTAHR Dean Greywall Dr. Tessie Amore Lava eruption in Kapoho Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

In this episode we speak with Susan Collins, owner of Bird and Bee Hawai‘i on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. As you will hear, Susan has gone to great lengths to educate folks about bees, bee keeping, and legislation related to bees in Hawaii. We talked about how she got here, where things are going, and then heard a very recent update related to colony collapse on the mainland, and the impact of government cutbacks, DOGE (the US Department of Government Efficiency) and the spending freezes implemented by the Trump administration. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resources (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Bird & Bee Hawaiʻi Richard Spiegel CourseCrops that rely on pollinatorsHoʻola Farms Programs for Veterans Hawaii County “Bee Bill” 144 World Bee Day 2025 in Hilo  Our earlier podcast with another bee keeperFind out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links

When we attended the 2024 Hawaii Agriculture Conference on Oahu, we noticed that the name Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i figured prominently, so we decided to find out more about it. In this episode we speak with Board President Diane Ley about the history and vision of ALFHawaiʻi, how and why ALFH started and continues the Hawaiʻi Ag Conference, and details about their 14 month Agriculture Leadership Program from Diane but also from Molly Mamaril, a recent graduate we spoke with at the Conference. Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resources (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Resources: Agricultural Leadership Foundation of HawaiʻiHawai’i Agriculture ConferenceALFH’s Agriculture Leadership Program Hawaii Farm BureauHawai’i Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2023 The impact of The Jones Act on Hawai’i shipping logistics Future Farmers of AmericaGoFarm Hawaii Molly’s Oahu Economic Development Board “Above the Sides” Podcast Greenpoint NurseryOur podcast with Tim Richards Find out more about us: Seeds Of Wellbeing websiteSeeds of Wellbeing Resource HubAll the SOW links