Local food producers are invited to display and provide samples of their products at the 17th annual Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agricultural Festival Friday, Sept. 21, at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.
Local food producers are invited to display and provide samples of their products at the 17th annual Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agricultural Festival Friday, Sept. 21, at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.
The state’s premier ag showcase again offers a free trade show for Hawaii farmers, ranchers and other food producers to hook up with taste attendees. Called the Agriculture Festival, the expo coincides with the 6-8 p.m. Taste of the Hawaiian Range.
The Agriculture Festival provides a venue for food producers to present their products to participating chefs and attendees. The expo is also open for agricultural and sustainability-themed organizations to present informational displays.
Producers interested in participating may contact Amy Shimabukuro-Madden at 974-4107 or 410-933-0853 or amysanae@hawaii.edu. The signup deadline is July 30.
Those interested in having an educational display may reach Victoria Vrooman at 640-4492 or vvrooman@hawaii.edu.
Taste will headline more than 30 statewide chefs who will dazzle diners using various cuts of forage-fed meats and a cornucopia of island fruits, vegetables and other farm products. Also on tap is a 3 p.m. culinary activity, “Grass Fed Beef Cooking 101,” presented by James Babian, executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. Follow Taste of the Hawaiian Range on Facebook or on Twitter, #TasteHI.
Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival provides a venue for sustainable agricultural education and support of locally produced food.
The event is a partnership between the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, or CTAHR; the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Association, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, Kulana Foods, the UH-Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management, or CAFNRM; the county Department of Environmental Management and community volunteers.
Sponsorship also includes the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the county Department of Research and Development, Hawaii Community College Food Service & Culinary Program and KTA SuperStores. The quality and growth of this event are rooted in small business participation, sponsorship and in-kind donations.