Harvesting Taro in Kauai

Harvesting Taro with the Koga's in Hanalei

Taro is grown year round on Kauai and it takes 6 months for a crop to mature. The taro fields in Hanalei are comprised of several smaller parcels farmed by individual growers like the Koga family of Hanalei. George, Doris, Misako, and Gary Koga are shown here harvesting their crop. George who has lived on Kauai all his life and is now 80 something still manages to work in the fields every day although he is quick to point out that he is slowing down some. (If he is, I didn't notice.) Planting is staggered so that a new crop matures and is harvested every week. The first couple of days of each week for the Kogas are spent harvesting every plant by hand. The root is cut from the stalks, bagged, and hauled out of the fields in sacks. The stalks are saved with a small part of the root until later in the week to be hand planted again in the same field. The re-planted stalk grows into a new plant. A new field is ready for harvest and planting the next week. When the Kogas aren't harvesting and planting, the rest of the week is spent weeding and tending the fields. They do take Sundays off to attend church in Hanalei. The Kogas are of Japanese decent and are devout Mormons.

Because taro was the main staple of the ancient Hawaiian people and helped them to survive for hundreds of years, it has a cultural and even religious significance to Hawaiians. The corm, or underground part of the stem, is cooked and mashed into a smooth starchy food called poi. Like any other starchy food (mashed potatoes come to mind) poi has a rather bland taste if eaten plain. Poi looks a little like sticky purple pudding and seems a little like eating paste but Hawaiians love it. (Next time I'm at a luau, I'm going to try it with salt.) Taro's steamed leaves (lu`au) and flowers (pua) can be eaten alone, but are generally used in dishes with meats, fish, coconut milk, and other vegetables.

73% of the State of Hawaii's taro production is grown on the island of Kauai and most of it is grown here on the north shore. With about 235 acre in production, Kauai produced 3,300 pounds of taro in 2006 valued at about $1.82 million. Taro corm is also becoming popular when sliced, deep fried and sold as chips. This is one way in which taro's appeal is expanding into new markets.

The taro fields of Hanalei along the Hanalei River are also an important habitat for many endangered species of birds and ducks; including the Hawaiian Stilt. Its long legs are perfect for wading and hunting insects in the flooded taro fields.

Taro production on Kauai is hampered by a recent invasion of Apple Snails which eat the plants and lay their pink eggs on the stalks.

More Information:

• Taro: Hawaii's Roots
• Poi Story