Hawaiian harvest: Exotic agriculture, pineapple wine

HAWAII ISLAND — Jim Reddekopp and his wife Tracy moved to the Big Island from Oahu 18 years ago because, he says, that island got "too busy."

"My wife and I had dreams of raising our children in a rural environment," he says. "The Big Island is raw. It's still untouched."

Now, the Reddekopps and their kids are running the Hawaiian Vanilla Co., which draws island visitors for vanilla-infused luncheons and tours of the 20-acre farm.

"It's like welcoming people into our home," he says.

Hawaii is known for its stunning beaches and resorts, but beyond the surf and sand, there's an abundance of agricultural land that many travelers don't think to explore.

Farming sugar, cattle, pineapples, and coffee began in the early 19th century. Sugar is no longer a viable industry, but Hawaiians have turned their attention to a more diverse bounty.

The state has 7,000 farms and more than 1.1 million acres of land in production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition to cattle and coffee, these farms produce such goods as vanilla, mushrooms, lavender and even pineapple wine.

"There's a historical precedent and rich tradition of agriculture here," says Richard Liebmann, owner of Lokahi Garden Sanctuary, a wellness retreat center and organic farm on the Big Island.

Many of the farmers and producers welcome visitors. I take Liebmann up on his hospitality. He comes out to greet me as soon as I pull into his driveway. Liebmann is originally from Queens, N.Y., but after 35 years in Hawaii, he's adopted the Aloha spirit of kindness and warmth.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

He serves a delicious asparagus soup followed by an omelet of fresh vegetables picked that morning from the garden along with a mixed greens salad.

Liebmann, a naturopathic physician, and his wife Natalie Young, a massage therapist, are growing more than 250 species of plants on their farm.

"Some are edible, some are medicinal and some are just beautiful to look at," he says.

The garden is located in the historic North Kohala community on the Big Island. In addition to growing plants, the couple tend to many animals, including chickens, sheep and a cow on 10 lush acres with sweeping ocean views. They offer walking tours as well as longer retreats, spa treatments and healthy meals.

"We really like this rural lifestyle," he says.

Jane Holmes is also enjoying that lifestyle at the Hamakua Heritage Farm in the rural community of Laupahoehoe, where mushrooms known as alii and pioppini sprout in jars.

The specialty exotic mushrooms are grown in a mixture of corncob, wheat bran and grandis eucalyptus sawdust called substrate. The bottle cultivation method originated in Japan.

"Excuse the sawdust," Holmes says as she leads a tour of the 16,000-square ft. production facility. "We're definitely a working farm here."

After passing various rooms used for incubation, growing and packaging, she shows off the finished product: a 3 ½-inch alii mushroom with a thick meaty stem that is sold to markets and restaurants throughout the island.

The factory produces more than 4,000 pounds of mushrooms a week. The substrate is then recycled and given to local farmers, who use it to boost their own crops.

Holmes ends the tour with a taste of treats made with mushrooms, including trail mix and cookies. Later, I have Hamakua mushrooms in a more traditional preparation in a ricotta cheese cavatelli pasta at Merriman's, a farm-to-table restaurant in Waimea.

About 10 miles from Hamakua, I prepare my palette for a very different taste. At Hawaiian Vanilla Co., I have a vanilla-infused lunch of shrimp, chicken, salad and ice cream, all washed down with a vanilla lemonade.

"The more vanilla you use, the better everything tastes," says Reddekopp.

After lunch, Reddekopp leads our group on a tour of the property while telling us the history of vanilla, which comes from an orchid. It also happens to be difficult to produce, which is why a 4-oz. bottle costs $18 to $20.

"This has humbled me, this plant," he says.

An island away, the producers of pineapple wine have also been humbled at times.

Growing wine in Hawaii isn't easy because of the climate, but the owners of MauiWine decided to give it a shot in 1974. The winery produces roses, syrahs and chenin-viognier. But it's also found a niche in pineapple sparkling wines.

Joseph Hegele, director of sales and marketing, says the growers got into pineapple wine accidentally.

"When they were waiting for the vineyard to mature, they used what was readily available as a practice," he says. With pineapple so prevalent, "It's kind of like we fell into it," he says.

Fruit is also the star of the show at ONO Organic farm, a family-owned and operated coffee and tropical fruit farm located in the Kipahulu community.

At an afternoon exotic fruit tasting, Bailey Spry chops, explains and passes around exotic fruits. A soursop tastes like Sour Patch Kids. An ice cream banana, one of almost 30 varieties, tastes just as it sounds.

Gary Lamb, who is visiting from San Diego with his family, says he'd rather visit a place like ONO than just sit on the beach.

"It connects us with the food we eat," he says.