Bruce Smalling

The street fair, hosted every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Kukui Grove Shopping Center, emerges as a venue that amalgamates over 20 vendors from the Kaua’i Made program, each contributing a diverse array of products and services. Lyndsey Haraguchi-Nakayama, introduces the fair, and converses with multiple vendors, presenting a varied tableau of offerings available to visitors. According to a vendor named Melissa, “Every Thursday, we’re here with 20-plus vendors from the Kaua’i Made program.”

The products presented, as per the transcript, span a range from culinary spices, some of which have been heralded as “Best Rub in America” and “Best Steak Rub in the world,” to affordable jewelry, which the creator conceptualized to be accessible, stating, “The concept of my business was to have affordable jewelry, so it starts from $5, only $10.” These offerings intermingle with other diverse products like “honey salt and maple coconut” and items from notable brands like “Billabong” and “Volcom.” The street fair also extends its stage to vendors who are rooted in the ‘Kaua’i Grown’ initiative, presenting a dual showcase of both local and global products.

In addition, some of the items, like the turmeric ginger and green papaya powder, are characterized by their palatable vibrancy, as one vendor illustrates, “Our turmeric ginger and green papaya powder are very good; you can taste the ginger, the turmeric, passion, wasabi, mustard.” Moreover, the products offered are not confined to mere consumables but stretch into functional and aesthetic realms, such as edible cucumbers utilized for a skin food line.

There’s a conscientious thread that seems to weave through the vendors at the street fair, embodied by entities like the Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project which funnels its proceedings back into charitable endeavors: “everything we do just goes back to our teachers’ favorite charity.” This element of community and cause is expressed through varied vendors, not merely in their products but also in their operational ethics.

Melissa underscores the distinctiveness of the event, saying, “There is nothing like this on the island. We’re all local vendors.” Furthermore, this endeavor appears to stem from a foundational intent to furnish the Kaua’i Made members with a “consistent weekly venue”, which in its operation, not only provides a platform for vendors to showcase and sell their products but also, in a broader context, invites an interaction with and exploration of Kaua’i’s local production landscape.

Thus, the street fair at Kukui Grove Shopping Center, with its amalgam of diverse vendors, products, and underlying ethical currents, aims to weave a weekly tapestry that is representative of both the commercial and cultural threads of Kaua’i. A kind invitation is extended by Lyndsey: “Thank you so much for joining us here, and we hope to see you folks on Thursdays at the street fair from 3 to 6 p.m. every week at Kukui Grove Center.”

Kukui Grove Street Fair Facebook | Instagram

In the verdant sprawl of Kauai’s North Shore lies Kauai Kunana Dairy, a family-run enterprise, originating in 1979, recognized for its artisan goat cheese and an assortment of goat milk products. Founders Bob and Louisa Wooton, together with their sons Ryan and Troy, expanded their venture from a modest initial herd of 12 to a thriving group of over 80 goats, developing a dairy facility which, by 1999, supported a milking herd of 30 does. The dairy curates not only cheese and milk items but also a variety of organic fruits, vegetables, and several specialty products such as Macadamia Nut Pesto and Lemongrass Vinaigrette, while ensuring adherence to USDA/HOFA certifications.

For a closer look at daily operations at Kaua‘i Kunana Dairy, a video features a tour with Louisa Wooten. In it, Louisa’s sentiment towards the goats is clear as she articulates, “I’ve been bottle feeding baby goats since I was about 3 years old,” further describing them as “very unique” and “an interesting, intelligent animal.” The goats, named diversely from Bora to Spot, are not only identified by their names but also respond to them. “They know their names, they come to their names,” she noted, illuminating a certain depth in the farm’s animal husbandry practices. Furthermore, she shares, “We’re really proud of that label because it does show how we actually feel about our animals,” in reference to their animal welfare certification.

Their dairy products, especially the cheese, become the focal point in part of the journey, with varieties extending from traditional types to those infused with exotic local flavors. The cheeses, described by Louisa as both “smooth, silky” and possessing a character that is “not sharp,” are crafted with keen attention to detail, encompassing varieties like marinated herb, sun-dried tomato, and a pepper jack that exudes a spicy demeanor. A particular standout is the cheese made with lilikoi puree, which intermingles the sweetness of the passion fruit with the savory, mild taste of creamy chèvre, rendering it a delightful fusion, in her words: “It melts in my mouth; I love it.”

Louisa took a moment to delve into the nuanced technique of milking, explaining, “With these two top fingers, you want to kind of pull them where you’re getting pressure into here, okay, and then you just want to slowly work your hand down.” This meticulously guided process emphasizes the precision and care embedded in every step of their production.

The diversification of Kauai Kunana Dairy extends to a 6.25-acre parcel in Moloa’a, converting a former rambutan orchard into a diversified fruit farm, imbuing the land with a range from Mangoes to Soursop, and prioritizing regenerative agricultural practices. Louisa shares, “We do a large amount of value-added products, everything from juices, sauces, pestos, honey, cookies, and breads, granolas.” Ryan, serving as the family beekeeper, introduces a series of beeswax products, spanning from soaps to candles, into the farm’s extensive offering.

Elegantly wrapped up, the tour offers a tangible insight into the dairy’s operations, its passion for sustainable practices, and its commitment to creating products of remarkable quality and distinctive flavor profiles, all while meticulously nurturing its herds and crops in a manner that intertwines ethical considerations with refined craftsmanship.

Kaua‘i Kunana Dairy Website | Facebook | Instagram

Kauai Community College Farmers’ Market in Lihue, Hawaii, serves as a hub for locals and tourists to access fresh produce and a myriad of local products. The market operates on Saturdays and provides access to an assortment of local goods, connecting consumers with local farmers and vendors. Beyond the simple exchange of goods, the market also provides a space for immersion into the local culture, providing a sensorial tour through Kauai’s agricultural and culinary landscape, with offerings ranging from the produce of local farmers to the culinary creations of local vendors.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the market has expanded significantly since its inception, as was highlighted in a video tour guided by Lyndsey Haraguchi-Nakayama. During the segment, it is observed that the market has grown from “maybe two rows” to now encompass “six rows of fruits, vegetables, and flowers,” and also houses a small food court. The products and vendors present convey a sense of community and tradition, from farmers to culinary creators, all providing goods that are at least “51%” sourced from “local farmers and ranchers,” according to a statement within the video.

Vendors, some with a history deeply intertwined with the island and the market, offer an array of products. A vendor notes, “Goat cheese is our main ticket item. We’ve been doing that since we opened the dairy, and we’ve raised goats on Kauai since 1979.” Another explains their evolution in the market: “We started with coffee, hot-brewed coffee, and our bags of coffee eight years ago. We started doing chocolate, and then we started doing cold brew iced coffee, and then we branched into doing dirty chai.”

Through this dialogue, the market becomes a tangible nexus where tradition and innovation coexist, bringing forth a rich blend of the old and new. One vendor explains their product, “Pauly’s pineapple for us, and it’s 100% pineapple, there’s no sugar, nothing added. It’s Kauai sugarloaf pineapple, frozen and put through a champion juicer.” Such offerings reflect a commitment to pure, unadulterated products, an evident theme throughout the market.

In addition to produce and food offerings, services such as custom flower arrangements and resources for home gardeners are available. One flower vendor noted that they fulfill “special order[s], yeah, fresh,” indicating a level of personalization available at the market. Meanwhile, the Master Gardeners, volunteers that collaborate with the UH College of Agriculture and Human Resources, provide “resources to home gardeners who have questions about plants in their garden,” broadening the market’s utility beyond merely a space for commerce.

Although the market serves as a bustling hub for the exchange of goods and services, it also emerges as a social gathering place where tradition persists amidst the fluidity of life changes. “Even when our lives change, we have kids, we change jobs, we still come here and gather at the market,” states one individual, signifying the market’s role as a steadfast component within the rhythms of local life.

Functioning “every Saturday, rain or shine,” the Kauai Community Market remains an unwavering presence, both as a resource for local goods and as a communal gathering space, persisting through a decade of operation by adapting and responding to the changing needs and contexts of the community it serves.

Kaua‘i Community Market at KCC