Standing among a row of tall, verdant trees, Kea Keolanui hands me a small leaf and says, “Chew on this.” The bitter taste is slightly mouth-numbing and I O.K. Farms in Hilo offers tours through its tropical fruit farm with stops at two private waterfall lookouts.
"Aʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia" is a Hawaiian saying that translates to "no task is too big when done together." This quote is the inspiration behind Hawaii.
As the threat of COVID-19 subsides, some local food growers say they will continue to prioritize local families that kept them afloat during the pandemic over the tourism industry.