Seeds Of Wellbeing – SOW

You may have seen or heard about Agriculture Stewardship Hawaii or recognize its logo. You may not know that it is the synergistic byproduct of the merging of two organizations - the Oahu Resource Conservation & Development Council and Oahu Agriculture and Conservation Association. They have been involved in helping farmers and ranchers recover from the Kona low storms of March 2026 and Hurricane Lala in August, and in this episode we speak to their Executive Director, Dave Elliott and their Director of Food Systems and Statewide Food Systems Coordinator, Amanda Shaw about how and why the merger happened and details about all their work with and for Hawaii agriculture.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Agriculture Stewardship Hawaii (ASH) 
• Oahu Agriculture and Conservation Association (OACA)
• Oahu Resource Conservation & Development (ORCD) 
• Hawaii Act 239 
• Hawaiʻi Statewide Food Systems Coordination 
• Kona Low storms 
• Hurricane Lala 
• Our podcast with NRCS
• Our podcast with Hunter Heaivilin, Hawaii Farmers Union’s Advocacy Director and founder of Supersistence
• ASH's Kona Low Farm & Ranch Recovery Fact Sheet
• Get Connected to ASH's services 
• ASH’s Farmer Help Desk Phone & Email: Call (808) 622-9026 or email farmsupport@agstewardshiphawaii.org
• In-Person Drop-In: Visit on Wednesdays from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Kunia Farm Center, 92-1770 Kunia Road, Suite 101, Kunia Camp, HI 96759

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

You have probably heard of Hawaii Farm Bureau and their annual state-wide farm fair and their annual convention, but did you know that they are first and foremost an advocate for farmer-focused Hawaii agriculture bills? Did you know that if you have an idea for a bill that could help Hawaii agriculture that there is a path to working with the Farm Bureau to make it a law? In this episode we speak with Executive Director Brian Miyamoto about the work of HFB and why you may want to be involved.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Hawaii Farm Bureau (HFB) 
• Our podcast with Hunter from HFUU 
• Hawaii State Farm Fair
• HFB Annual Convention
• HFB Farmers Markets
• Our podcast with Tim Richards 

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

If you are an agriculture producer in Hawaii, you have heard about feral ungulates. Those are the pigs, goats, and deer that run wild on the islands and can do such extensive damage to crops and the land. Many are frustrated by their impact and spend thousands of dollars to keep them out or even more to recover from the damage they do. When on Oahu, we discovered Iggy from Makana Provisions, who is trying to address this invasive animal problem by hunting them, processing them, and then selling them to feed the islands and beyond.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Makana Provisions
• Makana Foundation
• Makana Wild
• Contact via email: iggy@makanaprovisions.com 
• Contact via phone: 808-838-9315 

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

At times when it can feel like people are at opposite extremes and cannot or will not agree, and anger and frustrations become barriers to moving things forward, Dr. Donna Ching from the Pacific Center for Collaboration can step in to find ways to reach consensus. Normally on Oahu, she had a work trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, so when she had some time between her facilitation workshops, we met at Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Pacific Center for Collaboration 
• Ag Leadership's Hawaii Ag Conference
• Our podcast with Diane Ley and Molly Mamaril about the Ag Leadership Conference
• Hawaii Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

We have spoken with a number of Hawaii agriculture producers that say they are interested in making and selling value-added products, but are unable to find a certified kitchen to use or rent near them, or feel a little overwhelmed by what the Department of Health requires. In this episode, we speak with Anthony Florig, Program Manager of Hawaii Commercial Kitchens about a program he runs to help address these issues. We review the resources the program has to offer, both in person and online, and get a tour of the Hilo Food Hub’s commercial kitchen space. If you are only listening to this podcast, you’ll be able to understand the essence of the things we talk about, but this is one episode you may want to watch on our YouTube channel to also see the things discussed.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Hawaii Commercial Kitchens
• Hilo Food Hub
• Hawaii Commercial Kitchens Kitchen Directory 
• Hawaii Commercial Kitchens Workshops 
• Hawaii Department of Health Food Info 
• Hawaii Department of Health Homemade Food Operation 
• Hawaii Department of Health Homemade Food Establishment Permit
• Hawaii Commercial Kitchens Resources
• Hawaii Commercial Kitchens Registration
• Hawaii Commercial Kitchens YouTube Channel
• Oahu's Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center

With thanks to Hoʻōla Farms and their Food Hub, Farm-to-Car, and other programs: https://hoolafarms.org/programs/ 

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

Many Hawaii agriculture producers we speak with feel stressed and a bit confused by the workings of politics and the bills in the legislature. They want to see important changes happen, but are unclear what agriculture-related bills may be in session, or how individuals can be more involved to help things change. In this episode we speak with Hunter Heaivilin, Hawaii Farmers Union’s Advocacy Director and founder of Supersistence to try to get a handle on the state of things in early 2026 and what folks can do to help impact the changes they want to see.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Supersistence
• Hawaii Farmers Union United (HFU) 
• Hawaii agriculture bill tracking and legislative progress
• National Healthy Soils Policy Network
• Our podcast with NRCS
• Our podcast with Hawaii Ulu Co-op

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

Spend enough time around Hawaii farmers and ranchers and you’ll soon hear the name of the Federal agency Natural Resources Conservation Service (or NRCS). You may hear the word "conservation' and not necessarily think that they help agriculture producers, but if you have spoken with NRCS, or to folks that have worked with them, you will wonder why you haven’t reached out to them sooner! To better understand NRCS and what they can do to help, we speak with the Director for all of the Pacific Islands Area, J.B. Martin, and NRCS Outreach Coordinator, Jolene Lau, as well as two Hawaii agriculture producers that have been working with NRCS. 

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• NRCS Pacific Islands Area Office Home Page 
• NRCS Pacific Islands Area Office Staff
• Farm Bill Updates
• June 2025 article about NRCS staff cuts
• Apply by January 15th reminder

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

Who knew that the Hawaii Department of Health had a veterinarian on staff?! We didn’t until we met Hawaii DOH’s one and only Public Health Veterinarian at a Hawaii Island conference in Kona. From speaking with her, it seems that’s true for a lot of folks in Hawaii, so in this episode we share our talk with recent Hawaii transplant, Ariella Barry, who was hired by the state DOH to fill a 20 year vacancy, and just in time to lend a hand during the 2025 Federal Government shutdown. We spoke with her during that Federal shutdown.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Hawaii Department of Health 
• Veterinary Emergency + Referral Center (VERC)
• One Health
• Avian Influenza at duck sanctuary
• Podcast with Jeff Corle
• Hawaii Humane Society (for grief support groups)
• To reach Ariella, call the DOH Disease Reporting Line: 808-586-4586 and ask for the veterinarian on staff.

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

Every day, hundreds of people drive to the very end of the road out of Honokaʻa on the northeast corner of Hawaii island to peer into Waipio valley from the lookout. They see that many signs warn to do the right thing, or “be pono,” and show respect by heeding the “Road Closed, Local Traffic Only” signs and keeping their vehicles out of the valley. So most wonder what happens in Waipio valley. One sign shares that Waipio valley has a thousand-year taro (kalo in Hawaiian) farming tradition. Kalo is used to produce one of the more popular indigenous foods on the islands, poi. Kalo was once a staple of the Hawaiian diet and poi is still quite popular on the islands. You can find fresh poi from Waipio valley in the local grocery stores and even at Costco. But how is poi made and who in Waipio valley is still making it? In this episode we speak with Kahealani from Mokuwai Piko Poi, Inc. whose family has been making and selling Waipio poi since the 1970s.

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Mokuwai Piko Poi on Instagram
• 2023 Hawaii Public Radio podcast about Waipio valley 
• Glossary of Taro (kalo) words and translation 
• UH GoFarm’s many programs for growing farmers

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links

We listen to and discuss dairy farmer Jeff Corle’s song “Empty Barn” and speak with him about this song he wrote when he was "at the bottom." We find out how it helped his mental health, and what happened when it went somewhat viral and the reactions from others started to pour in. We also speak with some agriculture producers that heard Jeff’s song and they share what this song has meant to them. 

Brought to you by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Ag. and Human Resilience (CTAHR), and the Seeds of Well-being (SOW) Project. This podcast is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Resources:

• Empty Barn video 
• Abby Wiedmeyer’s article about Jeff 
• Julie’s Zajac’s farm 
• Denny Hutchison’s work in the ag community 
• Brené Brown
• Jeff’s website
• Jeff’s YouTube channel 
• Jeff’s Tiktok 
• Jeff’s Instagram 
• Seeds of Wellbeing’s Hawaii Ag Mentors 
• Seeds of Wellbeing “Cool Mind” eBooks 

Find out more about us:

• Seeds Of Wellbeing website
• Seeds of Wellbeing Resource Hub
• All the SOW links