The anahulu is Hōʻemi. The malama is Welo. It is the last malama of Hoʻoilo, wet season, as we shift into Kau, dry season.
This newsletter follows the Prince Kūhiō Hawaiian Civic Club’s kaulana mahina, inspired and created through the research of the late Aunty Bobbee Mills-Diaz; and edited, updated, and enhanced by Kalei Nuʻuhiwa. We kilo in Hilo and Hāmākua.
Don’t forget to visit the Pepeʻekeo Mill Farmer’s Market this weekend! Find produce, baked goods, crafts, and food on Sunday, May 10th, 10am-3pm. They will also be hosting the 3rd Annual Big Island Lychee Festival on Monday, May 25th, 10am-5pm.
Farmstand: Local Produce
Stay up to date with additions or if we’ve run out of stock by checking back in with this issue on our newsletter’s webpage - updated daily
ʻOlekūlua - Friday 5/8
Papaya
Meyer Lemon
Tahitian Lime
Apple Banana
ʻUala
Kalo
ʻŌlena
Ginger
Carrots
Zucchini
Cucumber
Green Beans
Cherry Tomatoes
Baby Bok Choy
Macadamia Nuts In-Shell
Mauli - Friday 5/15
Lychee
Papaya
Calamansi
Meyer Lemon
Tahitian Lime
Apple Banana
ʻUala
ʻŌlena
Ginger
Carrots
Cucumber
Eggplant
Arugula
Macadamia Nuts In-Shell
Baked Goods
Assorted Baked Goods available Fridays through the week until sold out
Fresh Rosemary Bread available on Fridays by 1pm - 1st come 1st serve or pre-order
Song of the Anahulu
Asking for a Night by Billy Kaui
Selections by Māwae - vinyl DJ available for events. Contact @braddahmawae on Instagram or [email protected] for inquiries.
Hub Happenings
Huakaʻi to Puanui, Kohala for Ulu Mau Puanuiʻs monthly Lā Hana
Don’t miss out on the Mālama ʻĀina day on Sat, May 16th, 8:45am-12:15pm with Ulu Mau Puanui in Kohala. Van carpool from Hilo/Hāmākua available. Sign up here
“Project Kanu invites you to a Lā Hana workday with Ulu Mau Puanui on May 16th, as we come together to steward an extraordinary legacy of human and environmental co-existence. Ride with us on our kaʻa mālama (Bluey the van!) from Hilo.
The Kohala Field System stands as a testament to Hawaiian ingenuity— a globally unique, rain-fed agricultural system- one of the largest intact archeological sites in Polynesia - that sustained abundance and strengthened the lāhui. At the time of Captain Cook’s arrival, these lands were thriving, cultivated with intention and deep ʻike.
In this system, kō and ʻuala grew as hoaaloha—friends. Planted to meet the ʻĀpaʻapaʻa winds, the kō captured life-giving mist and rain, gently feeding the ʻuala beside it. A simple, brilliant design rooted in observation, balance, and care.
“I ʻike ʻia nō ʻo Kohala i ka pae kō, a ʻo ka pae kō ia kole ai ka waha.”
One can recognize Kohala by her rows of sugarcane—so strong they could make the mouth raw when chewed.
Just as the kō stood resilient in the winds, so too did the people of Kohala—grounded, enduring, and deeply connected to their ʻāina.
May we continue to learn from this brilliance. To plant with intention. To care with purpose. To show up—for the earth and for each other.” -@projectkanu
Community Happenings
Applications Open
ʻUlu Co-op is hiring a full-time Agricultural Processor at the ʻAlae facility in Hilo. Find more info at ulu.coop/agricultural-processor-hilo
huiMAU is hiring an ʻĀina Education Program Assistant. Join Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili in working to re-establish the systems that sustain communities. Apply here or email [email protected].
Koʻa Camp - Koholālele ʻŌpio ʻĀina Camp applications open. Summer break June 9-12th. 4-day immersive overnight program primarily focused on empowering Hawaiʻi youth (ages 13-17) who are drawn to growing practices that cultivate aloha ʻāina. Guided by huiMAU ʻohana and the ʻāina of Koholālele, Hāmākua. Find more info and apply here
Do you have something to share about ʻulu? Join the 2026 Global Breadfruit Summit! If you work with ʻulu they want to hear from you! Farmers, chefs, innovators, researchers, cultural practitioners; the Global Breadfruit Summit is seeking contributions across the global breadfruit community. Submit here. Application deadline extended to May 31st breadfruitpeople.com
Zine Scene Fest Hawaiʻi is accepting vendor applications here. Festival will take place on July 11th, 10am-3pm at the East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center.
Events, Workshops, ʻĀina Workdays
Hale o Lono Workday every 2nd Saturday of the month. May 9th, 9am-11:30am. Join in connecting with ʻāina through traditional Hawaiian fishpond management in Keaukaha. More info at instagram.com/hale_o_lono and edithkanakaolefoundation.org/sites. Potluck encouraged. Recommended to bring tabis, gloves, sunscreen, and water.
Ola Ke Kanaka Health Series: Lāʻau Lapaʻau - ʻŌlena & ʻAwapuhiʻai: Make a tea, tincture, and ear/nasal drops and take home a kuahiwi plant on Sat, May 9th, 9-11am in at The Panaʻewa Hub (across Home Depot). Heal your ʻohana with lāʻau that grow all around us. Make long lasting medicines to add to your first aid kit and medicine cabinet. Register for free and learn about Ola Ke Kanaka here
2026 Hilo Chocolate Festival on Sat. May 9th, 9am-4pm at SPC Hilo Hotel, hosted by the East Hawaii Cacao Association (EHCA). Join for chocolate sampling & shopping, free farm tours, demos & displays, cacao seed giveaway, and silent auction. easthawaiicacao.org/festival
Pollinator Project ʻĀina Workday & Native Plant Adoptions on Sat. May 9th, 9am-12pm & 12-3pm at Ulumau Garden in Mountain View with OSCER, BIISC, & Laulima Nature Center. Register here
The Killing Spell Book Tour on Sat. May 9th, 11am at Basically Books. Join Hapa-Hawaiian fantasy and speculative fiction writer Shay Kauwe, in conversation with Nikki Van De Car. shaykauwe.com/events
Writing Workshop: Author Book Signing Event w/ Shay Kauwe, author of The Killing Spell on Sat. May 9th, 2-4pm at Ka Waihona inside Island Nation. How to Get Published: Writing a Query Letter for Your Story & Incorporating Hawaiian Culture into Modern Storytelling. Register at kawaihona.com
Pepeʻekeo Mill Farmer’s Market on Sun. May 10th, 10am-3pm. Join us for a delightful experience filled with fresh, locally-grown produce, artisanal goods, and a wonderful community atmosphere. Interested vendors? Email [email protected]. HWY 19 & Sugar Mill Rd, Pepeʻekeo, HI 96783. Find more info on their Instagram
Planting Seeds of Wellbeing & Nurturing Yourself: Farmers’ Healing Sessions via Zoom with SOW CTAHR. Upcoming sessions: Hoʻoponopono w/ Kahuna Uncle Bruce & Aunty Kehau on May 12, 4-5:30pm. Men’s Mental Health w/ Dr. John Souza on May 21st, 4-5:30pm. To register email [email protected]. Visit SOW website or their instagram for more information.
Legislation In Action: HFU Advocacy Webinar on Thursdays, every 3 weeks Jan-May. May 14th, 5pm via Zoom. Hawaiʻi Farmers Union and their advocacy director, Hunter Heaivilin; will cover what’s moving at the Capitol, walk through HFU’s priority bills, and answer your questions. Whether you’re a seasoned member or simply interested in agriculture policy, all are welcome. Register here to attend the last session and view 2026 policy priorities here
Ola Ke Kanaka Health Series: Lāʻau Lapaʻau - C.O.F Tincture: Make a Cold, Cough, Covid, & Flu Tincture on Sat, May 16th, 9-11am in at Makuʻu Farmer’s Market. Potluck- bring a dish to share. Heal your ʻohana with lāʻau that grow all around us. Make long lasting medicines to add to your first aid kit and medicine cabinet. Register for free and learn about Ola Ke Kanaka here
Hoʻolaulima Workday on Sat. May 16th, 9am-3pm at Kapana Loʻi o Kealiʻikuaʻāina in Waipiʻo Valley with Kū-A-Kanaka. Mālama ʻāina, build pilina, and enjoy a day rooted in connection, purpose, and aloha. All are welcome. Come ready to work, learn, and share in an ʻono lunch together. Lunch and water for refills will be provided. Sign up here
World Bee Day on Sat. May 16th, 10am-3pm at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center. Non-profit and vendor booths, local honey sampling and products, beekeeper trainings and talks, shadow puppets with Kozmo Mimizi.
The Ecology of Cultivation Workshop Series on May 16th, 2-5pm at One Village Farm. An introduction to regenerative agriculture, observation, agroforestry systems, and building relationship with land. Find more info & register here
Mea Hūlalilali Kāpala Workshop on Sun. May 17th, 11am-4:30pm at Ka Waihona inside Island Nation. Learn the art of block stamping and color mixing. Bring 1-2 pieces of clothing to print. Other materials provided. For questions contact Lali 808-289-0392. Find more info and fabric tips at kawaihona.com
Pepeʻekeo Community Development Corporation (PCDC) Quarterly Meeting on Sun. May 17th, 3-5pm at the Kulaʻimano Community Center https://www.pepeekeocommunity.org
Big Island Lychee Festival on Mon. May 25th, 10am-5pm at the Pepeʻekeo Mill Farmer’s Market
The Sea Is Never Full by Nainoa Rosehill: A solo exhibition at Ola Nā Iwi curated by Kanani Daley. Exhibition on view April 8 - June 13. https://ehcc.org/content/sea-never-full-nainoa-rosehill
Hui ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi every Sunday 11am-12pm at Ka Waihona inside Island Nation. Practice and strengthen your ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi skills through self-directed learning. You will be provided with a variety of Hawaiian language resources that help with pronunciation, vocabulary, sentence structure, and speaking. This is not a traditional ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi class but instead, a space for you to practice. All levels of Hawaiian language speakers are welcome. kawaihona.com
Local Food Resources
Onomea Country Market is a distribution location for Hawaiʻi Farm-To-Car by Hoʻōla Farms; an online farmers market for local produce, meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods, value-added products, and more. SNAP/EBT accepted. Shop online Friday-Monday and pickup on Wednesdays from 3pm-5pm at the Pepeʻekeo location. https://hoolafarms.org/hawaii-farm-to-car/
Food Distribution Community Kitchen every 3rd Friday at the huiMAU hub in Paʻauilo. May 15th, 10am-pau. Pūʻolo meaʻai (food bundles) for kūpuna and ʻohana. Includes 1 pound of fresh Waipiʻo poi, a variety of locally grown veggies, and every so often a ready-to-eat meal/protein. To join the food program, all you need to do is answer a few registration questions as a walk-in. https://www.alaulili.com/community-kitchen.html
Saturday, May 9th
Onomea Country Market is a corner store and seasonal market located at the end of the scenic route in Pepeʻekeo. We carry produce from Hawaiʻi farms and locally made products from Hawaiʻi farmers, artists, and makers. Along with Piʻilani Kitchen and The Lei Bar, we are apart of Onomea Hub. OPEN Sun, Mon, Tues 10am-4pm; Wed, Fri, Sat 10am-5pm; CLOSED Thurs.
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