Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Getting away from the cold, cold weather!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Getting ready for warmth

These cold temperatures will soon be a thing of the past --- as we join others from the SDARL Alumni group for a fantastic tour of agriculture in Hawaii. This really is a wonderful benefit of being an alumni of SDARL. We've traveled with some of the people before and look forward to making new friends as well as learning a lot. Dr. Gee and Rajean make every trip an educational and fun experience.

Hawaii: SDARL Alumni Study Trip, January 4-10, 2015

Dr. Dan Gee, SDARL Alumni Director, is planning on taking a group of alumni to Hawaii on January 4th. The blog is promising: Connie Groop, Class VI alumnus, will be reporting from the islands in the Pacific Ocean. Follow this blog from January 4-11, 2015 to learn more.

Below is the itinerary of the SDARL Alumni Trip.



South Dakota Agriculture & Rural Leadership Alumni Visit to Hawaii

Jan 2, 3, 4    Free time on Oahu, Schedule your own Activities
Jan 7             Free time on Oahu or Big Island
Jan 11, 12    Free time

Monday, January 5, 2015 – Central Oahu/Honolulu

7:30 am Depart Waikiki Marriott
8:00 am Hawaii Department of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Division; overview of the state of agriculture
            1849 Auiki Street
            Honolulu, HI 96819
            808-973-9550
·       Scott Enright, Chairperson of the State Board of Agriculture
·       Ken Kakesako, Deputy to the Chairperson of the State Board of Agriculture
·       Diane Ley, USDA Farm Service Agency, Alumni and board member of the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii
9:00 am  Depart

9:45 am Hawaii Agricultural Research Center; agricultural research
            www.harc-hspa.com
94-340 Kunia Rd (Across Kunia Road from Wendy’s Restaurant)
Waipahu, HI 96797
·       Stevie Whalen; former board member of the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii
President; swhalen@harc-hspa.com; (808) 228-0272 or 808-621-1350
10:45 am  Depart

11:00  Larry Jefts Farm – Among the state’s largest vegetable and melon producers
            94-877 Kunia Rd
            Kunia, Hawaii 96759
·        Larry Jefts, owner; ljefts@aloha.net; 808-688-2892
12:00 pm Depart

12:15 pm Lunch hosted by DuPont Pioneer, with Hawaii Ag Leadership Alumni
            Kunia Village Agriculture Park
            www.harc-hspa.com
92-1770 Kunia Rd
Waipahu, HI 96759
·         Mark Stoutemyer, lunch host with Pioneer, Ag Lead Alum & Current Board Member of the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii
1:30 pm Depart

1:45 pm Kunia Country Farms; aquaponics, aquaculture, Hydroponics
            http://www.kuniacountryfarms.com/
            92-1770B Kunia Road
                        Kunia, Hawaii 96759
·        Cary Takenaka, owner; (808) 625-1456

2:45 pm Depart

3:00 pm Pa’ina Hawaii – Commercial irradiator; http://www.painahawaii.com/home.html
            92-1780 Kunia Rd. V
            Kunia, HI 96759
·       Michael Kohn, President; michael@painahawaii.com; 808-834-0496     

3:45 pm Depart

4:00 pm DuPont Pioneer
46-880 Kunia Road ( while traveling makie on Kunia Road look for small sign, ‘Pioneer”   just slightly makie of Anonui street-turn right onto gravel road and follow road back to bulidings.
            Kunia, HI 96759
Pioneer Kunia Research Center, Site Manager; mark.stoutemyer@pioneer.com; Cell (808) 216-6254; Office (808) 688-1699 ext 24

5:00 pm  Depart

6:15 pm Arrive at Marriott – Dinner individual choices, on your own



Lodging
Jan 4, 5, 6, 2015
 Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
 2552 Kalakaua Av Honolulu
 808.921.5116

Jan 7, 8, 9, 2015
 Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
 69-275 Waikoloa Beach Drive   Waikoloa HI
 808.886.8130





Tuesday, January 6, 2015 – Windward, North Shore & Central Oahu/Honolulu

7:30 am Depart Waikiki Marriott
8:15 am Kako’o Oiwi; restoration of Heeia Wetlands and food security through Loi Kalo (taro      production in water) http://kakoooiwi.org/fullwidth-page
             46-334 Kamehameha Highway (be sure to go to Kaneohe – not He’eia or Laie)
                        Kaneohe, HI 96744
·         Koa Kukea-Shultz, Ag Leadership Alum
             Executive Director; admin@kakoooiwi.org
                808-741-3403
9:30 am  Depart

9:45 am  Kualoa Ranch; working ranch, tourism, filming location; Hawaiian Oysters; John Morgan was a past NCBA Environmental Stewardship Award Winner  www.kualoa.com
            49-560 Kamehameha Hwy,
            Kaneohe, HI 96744
            (808) 237-7321
·         John Morgan, Owner; johnmorgan@kualoa.com
 Lunch @ ranch
1:00 pm Depart

1:30 pm  Syngenta
            94-880 Kunia Road
            Kunia, HI 96759
            808-688-1477 (Main Office); 808-639-4564 (Cell)
            Steve Kai, Ag Lead Alum Class I & Former Board Member of the Agricultural Leadership             Foundation of Hawaii. 35 years of activity in Ag sector in Hawaii
            2:45 pm  Depart

3:00 pm  Fat Law Farms – Large producer of Thai basil, eggplant and Asian vegetables
·         Alvin Ty Law (son of owner Tim Law); alvin@fatlawfarm.com; 808-226-4898
4:00 pm Depart

5:15 pm Gordon Biersch; restaurant and brewpub with interesting views of Honolulu, the harbor and sunset;  Wide sampling of appetizers provided
            Hawaii Ag Lead Alumni Gathering
            Aloha Tower Market Place
            Downtown Honolulu
    Transportation on your own back to Marriott

Wednesday January 7, 2015

Inter-Island flight from Honolulu to Kona on Big Island Hawaii
Thursday, January 8, 2015 Big Island Hawaii

7:00 am Depart Waikoloa Marriott

8:15 am Kamehameha Schools Cattle Project at Pa’auhau, Hamakua
            Tex Drive In – Meet Perry Kealoha and drive to nearby ranch
            45-690 Pakalana Street
            Honokaa, HI
·       Perry Kealoha, Ag Lead Alumni; pekealoh@ksbe.edu; 808-322-5310 (o); 808-960-9661 (cell)

9:15 am Depart

10:45 am Wailea Agriculture Group; www.waileaag.com 
            29-2070 Homestead Road
            Honomu, HI
            • Lesley Hill, Ag Lead Alumni and owner; wag@interpac.net
Lunch provided

12:45 am Depart

1:30 am Hamakua Mushrooms; www.hamakuamushrooms.com
            36-221 Manowaiopae Homestead Road
            Laupahoehoe, HI
            • Lani Weigert; agrotourism marketer for Hamakua Mushrooms and Ag Lead Alumni;             lani@hiagtourism.org; 808-962-0017. 

2:45pm Depart

4:00 pm Arrive at Ponoholo Ranch tour
             www.ponoholoranch.com
            Kohala Mountain Road, outside of Hawi, HI
            • Chris English, Vice President of production, Worked in Beef Industry on mainland &      returned to family owned operation @ Ponoholo   Ag Lead Alumn;
            • Sabrina White, Assistant manager, 3rd generation rancher on family owner       commercial cow/calf operation with Angus & Charolais Cattle   Ag Lead Alumn;             sabrina@ponoholo.com
            Dinner @ Ranch

7:00 pm Depart

8:00 pm Arrive at Waikoloa Marriott


South Dakota Ag Leadership Alumni Friday, January 9, 2015

7:45am  Depart Waikoloa Marriott

9:00 am   Kona Queen Company
            World’s largest producer of queen bees
            www.hawaiianqueen.com
83-5311 Napoopoo Rd, Captain Cook, HI 96704
P.O. Box 768, Captain Cook, HI 96704
808-328-9016
·         Gus Rouse, owner
9:45 am   Depart

10:00 am   Hawaiian Host Macadamia Nut Farm & Factory
            Macadamia nut orchards and processing factory
            www.hawaiianhost.com
            83-5711 Middle Keei Road
            Captain Cook, HI 96704
11:00 am  Depart

11:40 am  Pine Trees CafĂ© - Lunch
            73-4040 Hulikoa Drive (at Queen Kaahumanu Highway)
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
(808) 327-1234
Lunch provided
·         Hawaii Alumni may be able to join the group
Shopping at the adjacent Mountain Thunder Store
12:40 pm Depart

1:00 pm  Mountain Thunder Coffee Farm
            Coffee, cacao (chocolate) and vanilla farm
            www.mountainthunder.com
73-1944 Hao Street (off of Kaloko Drive)
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
(808) 345-6600
·         Trent Bateman, CEO and Founder

2:00 pm  Depart




2:30 pm Big Island Abalone
            www.bigislandabalone.com
            73-357 Makako Bay Dr
            Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
            (808) 334-0034
           
3:30 pm Depart


3:30 pm Blue Ocean Mariculture
            www.blueoceanmariculture.com
            74-429 Kealakehe Parkway
            Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
            808.331.8222
·         Jennica Lowell; jennica@bofish.com; 808-557-2233


4:30 pm Wrap-up with pupus(poo-poos) (snacks) and drinks at beach park
Natural Energy Laboratories Hawaii
            73-4460 Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy
            Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

6:00 pm Depart for Waikoloa Marriott

6:45pm Arrive at Waikoloa Marriott



South Dakota Agriculture & Rural Leadership Alumni
Saturday January 10, 2015


Optional Tour Volcanoes National Park via Van
$75 per person plus tax includes lunch, snacks, bottled water and transportation via vans
Tour includes Coffee Mill, Orchid Gardens and Volcano winery

Optional Tour Volcanoes National Park via Helicopter
Terry Jaspers is working on details