Hawaiians lived surrounded by ocean and voyaging played a pivotal role in their history and everyday life, but the bedrock of Hawaiian society was the traditions and work of farmers.
Farming in ancient times was labor intensive. The Islands' climate and geology provided plenty of sun, water and rich soil, but Hawaiians' lack of metal tools, wheels, or any type of mechanization meant planting and harvesting was done literally by hand. Hawaiians also developed a variety of wood and stone tools
Today the Hawaiians have mastered the beauty of working with the land, making it easier for locals and visitors to eat healthy. The Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign is now the Buy Local, It Matters campaign that aims to encourage residents to support Hawaii farmers by making conscious decisions to purchase locally grown produce. This campaign began as a joint project involving the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture in 2005. As a community service the Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) also sponsors the printing of the Buy Fresh – Buy Local Seasonality Chart, which contains information on when local produce is in season. In every market you will find a “local products”, so please help out by supporting our beautiful island and its unique people.
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