Today I stopped at a little fruit stand off Hwy 11 in the town of Waiahinou. It is an orchard with fruit and mac nut trees surrounded by picturesque lava rock walls, and some crude signs that say "espresso" and "organic fruit" . Under an ohia post and metal roofed pavillion owners Barney and Elizabeth have a selection of seasonal and organic fruits, packaged, dehydrated macadamia nuts, an assortment of honeys and Ka'u coffee. Todays selection were 2 kinds of grapefruits, organic white and ruby reds, avocados, limes, and bananas.
Now Kona has the name associated with Hawaii coffee, but personally I find the coffee's grown in the Ka'u region of the Big Island to be more flavorful. Many people don't realize that coffee grows in all districts of the island, not just Kona.
Barney complained that too many new people are moving into the area and would like to see fruit stands like his taken down so they don't detract from their land values. It would seem that new people coming here want to destroy the very character that charmed them in the first place. (only they don't realize it until its gone) I say hats off to all the little entrepreneurs like Barney that are out there trying to make a living and keeping Hawaii a colorful place to visit.
By the way this Southern route of Hwy 11 is fantastic to drive in winter as the poinsettias ( yes they do grow somewhere besides pots covered in colored foil at Wal-Mart) are in full bloom and the vivid red spilling over the black lava walls is truly worthy of your digital camera.
