Kauai Glory Farm, located in Lihue, Hawaii, stands as a consistent source of fresh, local produce, under the care of Zong Ping and Shui Ping. As the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges and increased demand for local food resources, the farm’s significance in the community has been underscored, distributing their harvests island-wide and partaking in community initiatives such as Malama Kauai CSA bags and the County’s Kupuna Kare Program. Ensuring that their produce reaches their clientele consistently, the farm has maintained operations amidst global disruptions.
An exploration of the farm, facilitated by Lyndsey Haraguchi-Nakayama and featured on a video segment, sheds light on the day-to-day operations and specialities of the farm’s produce. In a conversation with Hannah Huang, viewers gain insight into the farm’s offerings and practices.
Huang shares, “You don’t have to add anything, right? Yes, I just blanch it a little, or you can have it raw,” highlighting the versatility and sustained sweetness of the beans that are grown year-round on the farm. A glance at other crops includes an encounter with notably large okra, which Lyndsey comments are “so delicious you don’t even need salad dressing,” emphasizing the natural flavor quality of the vegetables harvested at Kauai Glory Farms.
Despite the evidently rewarding nature of the farm’s yield, the tasks that encapsulate daily life are not without their challenges, as Hannah admits that she is not naturally a morning person, yet morning tasks are indispensable: “Not really, I guess everybody feels the same tired every day. Yeah, we have to get up early, right?” After sundown, the day’s labor transitions into preparatory work for the subsequent day: “Yeah, and then nighttime, like you said, after you finish everything, you’ve got to cook on the schedule for tomorrow. That’s all we’re doing.” The produce, once harvested, finds its way to consumers primarily through farmer’s markets, as Hannah affirms, “everything that you harvest here you’ll take over to the market if it’s the afternoon market. We’re harvesting in the morning.”
The video, while capturing a slice of life on Kauai Glory Farms, subtly reflects the ongoing dedication and underlying philosophy of simplicity and connection to nature, resonating not just in the work of Zong and Shui, but also in the practices of their fellow farmers like Hannah. In retaining a straightforward connection to the land and a transparent relationship with consumers, Kauai Glory Farm embodies a narrative that intertwines simplicity and tenacity amidst the complexities of farming during a pandemic.
Kaua‘i Glory Farms Facebook