It’s only a few days before the 10th Annual Maui Agricultural Festival to be held at the Maui Tropical Plantation. It is on April 1 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Are you excited? I am! I can’t believe it has been 10 years since they first started! I still can remember how bummed I was when I missed the first year because I found out about it too late. If you have not been to any of the previous Maui Ag Fest events, I highly recommend you come this year. You will be glad you did! I suggest you bring the whole family – all the keiki, the aunties, the uncles, the tutu and tutu kane. Bring your neighbors too! There are activities fit for all ages.
The event gets bigger and better every year. There are pony rides and a place to pet the animals, craft booths, pancake breakfasts, teen cooking challenge, and more! Details of the program and event is at the Maui County Farm Bureau website (where the photo above came from).
Don’t miss the farmer’s market at the #MauiAg Fest. There you can find a wide variety of Maui-grown products, and it’s all great quality at reasonable prices. I always go home with a big box of veggies and fruit when I attend, mostly from Kumu Farms but also from other farmers. I am not kidding – the farmer’s market at #MauAg is the bomb! Sooo many goodies to buy as well – jams, cookies, etc. Most likely, you will find me there tasting the samples and talking to the farmers. I love doing that. It’s a great time to meet and greet the people who work hard planting and raising our food.
For you who likes to create things and make something, there are many hands on activities found in the flower tent. The general public is invited to make fresh flower lei, ipu, along with Gayle and team from Na Kani O Hula. Oh yes, you will find me there too. Surely it’s the best place to take selfies. I can already imagine myself with a haku lei. Come and let’s take selfies together 🙂
Among the previous #MauiAg Fests I have attended, a favorite of mine was when I volunteered with Edible Hawaii Magazine in 2011. It was a blast!
And guess what? This year I will be with the @EdibleHI team again! This time I will be sharing and live streaming the Live Chef’s Challenge (follow hashtag #LiveChefChallenge). Sponsored by Edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine, the 4th annual Live Chefs’ Challenge will feature 12 local chefs, who will draw knives and split into 3 groups of 4. Working together using ingredients from a mystery box (with local produce from Hawaiian Moons, Kumu Farms, Oki Seafood), each group will prepare dishes to be judged individually, with the most cohesive team presentation winning the top honors.
#LiveChefChallenge is happening between 11:00 and 1:00pm. The talented chefs participating are: Travis Morrin, Zach Sato, Jojo Vasquez, Mijin Kang, Gevin Utrillo, Jake Belmonte, Rose Ha, Alvin Savella, Gary Johnson, Betty McDonald, Krista Garcia and Eric Morrissette. This fun event will be hosted by the fabulous Daryl Fujiwara ( @sfdhawaii ) and Lyndon Honda ( @cheflyndonhonda ). If you know Daryl and Lyndon, you know it’s worth coming just to hear them emcee. Fun! Fun! Fun! ! It will be a joyful time I am sure! And did I mention that my friend, the social media queen of Hawaii, Melissa Chang known as @Melissa808, will be there too? Oh yes, lol time for sure 🙂
I know I mentioned that details of the event is at the Maui County Bureau website, but let me share with you here some of the highlights of #MauiAg event:
FARMER’S MARKET
It’s good to know who grows our food. The market also shows the importance to ag of value-added products such as taro chips, pickles, and teriyaki beef: They stretch the season, absorb surplus, and provide extra farming revenue. Also check out MauiWine and Maui Gold tent and Maui Coffee Association. Both demonstrate the process of growing an agricultural product and producing a value-added product.
FOOD BOOTHS
Humble crops transform into satisfying meals when carefully prepared. Sample the best of all natural beef – hamburgers, poke bowls and smoked meat, Fork to Salad, Roselani Ice Cream, Shaka Pops and local favorites chow fun and smoked meat and 100 % Maui beef burgers and fries. Look for Maui Fresh Streatery and Three’s Bar & Grill Food Truck.
KEIKI ZONE
Kids learn about ranching and food production while at play. Join us for barnyard games favored by children around the world and learn about livestock. Horseback and pony rides, bouncers and Livestock Exhibit throughout the day. Keiki entertainment stage with live musical performances, magic show and more.
ASK THE DOCTOR
Healthy soil and plants are key to successful farming. Maui can bring soil samples for analysis and learn about plant health or peer through a microscope for a close-up of bugs affecting our crops. With the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources specialists.
CENTER STAGE
Taiko drummers, Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus –Ensemble, Honoka’a Jazz Band, Lehua Kalima and Shawn Pimentel, Napua Nakasone Greig and Halau Nalei Kaumaka O Uka, Kaina Country Band on stage from 9 am – 4:30 pm.
FARM VISITS Maui Tropical Plantation offers Tram Rides.
GRAND TASTE
Maui’s famed regional cuisine is based on locally grown produce: Meet local chefs and farmers who are creating menus that matter. Fees apply. NEW time from 2:30 pm – 4;30 pm. Purchased tickets online in advance $30 at the event $40. Sponsored by Edible Hawaiian Island, a Live Chefs Challenge is planned from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Grand Taste Tickets
LEGACY FARMERS PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Tickets on sale for “Legacy Farmers Pancake Breakfast” $10 adults / $5 keiki (12 and under), Grand Taste $30 before March 31 and $40 day of the event and Chefs Collaboration Dinner limited to 21 years and older $75 per person/$600 table of eight. Purchase HERE
Maui Ag Fest Live Chef Challenge – Photo Credit: Erik Blair
The Maui County Agricultural Festival’s goal is to raise awareness about Maui agriculture while invigorating Maui Ag. The event offers the opportunity to learn about agricultural issues and their impact on our day-to-day lives, while having fun and enjoying time with family and friends.
#MauiAg will be held on Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults (kupuna 65 and over free and keiki under 18 free as well). Free parking and shuttle transfers from Ma’alae’a side parking lot to main entrance to AgFest.
So here’s where you will find me that day:
Twitter: @amauiblog – I will most likely post a lot more directly on Twitter that that day, of you are on Twitter let’s connect!
Instagram: @amauiblog @lizamaui @wailearealty @kealaowailea
Facebook: A Maui Blog, My Own Maui, Food Trucks on Maui, Wailea Realty, Keala o Wailea, “Maui Farms, Farmers Market, Swap Meet and Events”
