Why are supermarkets filled with avocados from California and mangoes from Mexico when these fruits are literally falling, uneaten, from our island’s trees? Why is it so hard to find local beef when Parker Ranch on Big Island is one of the largest cattle ranches in the United States? Why do local tomatoes sometimes cost $5 per pound–and are they worth it?

These are all questions Kanu Hawaii hopes to bring to the table during the 2009 Eat Local Challenge. Kanu Hawaii, a non-profit group devoted to “island-style activism,” which encourages members to affect change via individual commitments, is challenging people to eat strictly local for the week of August 8–15.

What this means: everything we eat, down to the spices and oils, should be locally grown. That means no shoyu (soybeans are imported), no beer (hops are imported), no rice and bread. If it sounds difficult, that’s because it is. Eighty percent of our food in Hawaii is imported, so seeking out that 20 percent to feed ourselves is no small feat.

James Koshiba, one of the Eat Local campaign’s organizers, says “the fact that [eating locally] is so challenging might tell us there’s something wrong with this picture. If it’s this hard to find and eat local food, what happens if the barge or air service to Hawaii is interrupted? Or if the places we import from experience a natural disaster? What are the big picture issues that keep eating local from being easier?”

The Eat Local Challenge isn’t merely an experiment about eating; it’s a launching point for a discussion on what Kanu calls “island values.”

“Ultimately, we hope to raise awareness about the importance of building a more sustainable, secure food system in Hawaii,” says Koshiba. “A robust local food system would keep more dollars in the local economy–25 cents more of every dollar spent–would protect open space, rural culture, and our climate–less shipping and trucking for locally grown items–and make our islands less vulnerable to spikes in global prices.”

If the path to change is through our stomachs, the first step often begins at the farmers’ markets for some of our farmers’ finest, from staples like eggs and meat to specialty items like figs and hearts of palm to MAO’s vegetables for a taste of the Lualualei Valley terroir. During the weekday, supplies can be replenished with a trip to the Honolulu Farmers’ Market at the Blaisdell.

Local food also exists outside the farmers’ markets. Tamashiro Market, with a variety of colorful island fish unrivalled by the chain supermarkets, is partnering with Kanu Hawaii to provide a different local fish and local vegetable pairing every day of the challenge. And while Whole Foods is always a good standby for local ingredients, Kokua Market is the only grocery store in town that sells local beef and has a large share of locally-grown vegetables and fruits in its produce aisle. Indeed, if you know where to look (more resources are provided at Kanu Hawaii’s Web site) the hardest part becomes less finding locally grown, but taking the time to cook it. Because processed food invariably contains imported ingredients, going strictly local translates into cooking from scratch and more time in the kitchen.

Kanu has enlisted the help of some restaurants around town. The restaurants town and Downtown will be offering at least one dish a day composed entirely of local-grown ingredients.

Other partnering restaurants may not be following the rules so strictly, but even small shifts help attract awareness. Cafe Anasia, a hole-in-the-wall sports bar with bar food like fried chicken and french fries, is perhaps one of the unlikeliest of partners in the campaign, but owner Christy Matsubara says “going local” makes sense for them.

“We’re a local small business…we support local businesses,” she says. “The economy now is not the greatest so supporting everyone sounds pretty good.” For the Eat Local Challenge, Cafe Anasia will be featuring a local fried fish with ginger aioli sauce and Nalo greens and ‘ahi belly with a salt and pepper shoyu sauce.

Kanu is also encouraging people to go to the source and learn directly from our producers and farmers, as they are the ones that deal with the day-to-day challenges of maintaining a local food supply. Because it’s only after a conversation with the farmer (and a taste-test, of course) that you can decide for yourself whether that $5 per pound tomato is worth it.

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