The malama is Welo. The anahulu is shifting into Poepoe. It is the last malama of Hoʻoilo, wet 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.
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 4/24
Longan
Tangor (Tangerine + Mandarin Orange Hybrid)
Calamansi
Meyer Lemon
Tahitian Lime
Apple Banana
ʻUlu
ʻUala
Kalo
ʻŌlena
Ginger
Lūʻau Leaf
Baby Bok Choy
Japanese Cucumber
Cherry Tomato
Eggplant
Radish
Macadamia Nuts In-Shell
Hoku - Friday 5/1
Longan
Avocado
Papaya
Orange
Meyer Lemon
Tahitian Lime
Apple Banana
ʻUlu
ʻUala
Kalo
ʻŌlena
Ginger
Baby Bok Choy
Red Cabbage
Japanese Cucumber
Zucchini
Green Beans
Carrots
Cherry Tomato
Macadamia Nuts In-Shell
Farmstand: Baked Goods
Assorted baked goods available Fridays through the week until sold out
Fresh Rosemary Bread available Friday afternoons - 1st come 1st serve or pre-order
Song of the Anahulu
Kill Them with It by Kanakamon
Selections by Māwae - vinyl DJ available for events. Contact @braddahmawae on Instagram or [email protected] for inquiries.
Hub Happenings
Join us today, Sunday April 26th, 9am-1pm for Lā Honua Festival 2026 at Pepeʻekeo Park with community organizations, local vendors, music, and a plant giveaway
Visit Onomea Hub! Onomea Country Market will be open early, 8am-4pm, with post-run snacks and drinks available, fresh fruit and other locally grown & made goods. Piʻilani Kitchen is open 10am-4pm featuring this week’s special: pork lau lau, smoked lomi lomi salmon, ʻuala + coconut, house made Hawaiian chili pepper water, ʻulu mac salad and steamed rice. Make lei with The Lei Bar from 10am-12pm. Follow the hub @onomeahub @onomeacountrymarket @piilanikitchen @theleibar
Purchase kō themed Lā Honua apparel, at onomeahub.com
Learn more about Lā Honua plant giveaways and Project Kanu, at projectkanu.org
For full event details, visit keaukahacanoeclub.com. Mahalo to the amazing team making this event possible!
Stay tuned for posts about Lā Honua Festival 2026 @keaukahacc53 @onomeahub @projectkanu
Mahalo to everyone who signed up for another fun run or walk along the historic Old Māmalahoa Highway. This year, in addition to the 5K course, a 10K route was introduced for anyone who wanted a little extra challenge!
Start/Finish: Pepeʻekeo Community Park
5K: Out to the Donkey Trailhead (Botanical Gardens) and back
10K course: Continues to the Hawaiʻi Belt Rd and back
Purchase kō themed Lā Honua apparel, at onomeahub.com “All proceeds go to this yearʻs non-profit partner, Ulu Mau Puanui. This organisation manages gardens at Puanui, North Kohala which is part of the extensive Kohala field system, one of the largest archaelogical sites in Polynesia. The Kohala Field System was a vast 15,000-acre dryland farming network in pre-contact Hawaiʻi (AD 1450–1800), where crops like sweet potato were grown in a narrow rainfall band using stone walls and contour-aligned fields to conserve water and reduce wind. Sugarcane planted along the walls acted as windbreaks, helping retain moisture and protect crops, enabling the system to support large populations before coming to end in the early 19th century.
Pua ke kō, kū mai ka he’e
Design inspired by this ʻōlelo noʻeau: “When the sugarcane blooms, the octopus appear.” Grounded in the ʻike of our kūpuna, this speaks to observations of the rhythms of nature and living in balance with them. We found stories of octopus emerging from their dens during heavy winter rains—right when kō blooms—bringing this connection to life.” -@projectkanu
Don’t miss out on the Mālama ʻĀina day on Sat, May 16th, 8:45am-12:15pm at Ulu Mau Puanui in Kohala. Van carpool from Hilo/Hāmākua available. Sign up here
Community Happenings
Applications Open
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
Managing Water Risk Webinar on Mon. April 27th, 5:30-7pm via Zoom. Irrigation strategies and technology for efficient water use. Register for free at gofarmhawaii.org
Film Screening: Earth’s Greatest Enemy on Tues. April 28th, 3pm at Ka Waihona inside Island Nation. A film by Abby Martin, documenting the environmental cost of history’s biggest empire. kawaihona.com
The Ecology of Cultivation Workshop Series on May 2nd & May 16th at One Village Farm. An introduction to regenerative agriculture, observation, agroforestry systems, and building relationship with land. Find more info & register here
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.
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
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.
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.
Big Island Lychee Festival on Mon. May 25th, (Time TBA) 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. In this workshop, 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
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.
Our focus is place based storytelling. We aim to offer a space where stories and resources are shared, people and the work they do is uplifted, and readers stay updated. Living seasonally.