Tag Archives: Hawaii

From the FieldISU Students Study Soils & Crops in Costa Rica

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Rachel Norby

Guest blog post by Rachel Norby

Rachel Norby, who will intern this summer with Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, spent Spring Break learning about agriculture in Costa Rica. Get a glimpse of the people she met and the places she visited as you read a daily account of her journey. Click here for Part I of her travels. Today she shares Part II.

Monday, March 12

After stopping in a local town to visit a farm supply store, where the main purchase by my fellow students was machetes, we departed Sarapiqui for the La Corsicana Pineapple plantation. The variety of pineapple that is grown in Costa Rica originates from Hawaii.

Upon arriving at the plantation, we loaded onto a sun-shaded wagon and headed into the fields to see the different stages of production. We first saw an empty field that had recently been plowed under; this area had very sandy soils which are perfect for growing pineapple. They use a raised bed system to grow the pineapple and also drainage ditches to carry water away from the plants. Our next stop was a field where a worker was planting roots and shoots from the previously harvested plants to start a new field.

A worker at La Corsicana Pineapple plantation plants the roots and shoots from previous crops.

There were acres upon acres of pineapple. La Corsicana Pineapple plantation has around 3,000 acres of pineapple with an average yield of 2,200 pineapples per acre.

Our guide picked many fresh pineapples from the field for us to taste and also taught us the correct way to choose a pineapple in the store. Many people think a ripe pineapple should dent when a fingernail is pushed into the bottom or that it should smell sweet, but all these techniques were proved wrong by an expert in the pineapple industry.

There are three characteristics to look for when choosing a pineapple:

  1. The fruit should have a big green crown on top;
  2.  The eyes, or skin on the pineapple, should be large and symmetrical; and
  3. The bottom of the pineapple should be golden in color.

After seeing the fruit in the fields, we were taken to the packing plant where we saw workers wash, sort and box the fruits to be sent all around the world.

In the afternoon, we visited La Tirimbina Reserve where we toured the rain forest and also learned how indigenous people made chocolate from the cocoa plant.

Tuesday, March 13

We were supposed to travel north from the La Fortuna to the city of Los Chiles which is near the Nicaraguan border to visit a citrus farm. Due to heavy rains in the area, we visited a local citrus farm, TicoFrut. There we met with the farm manager and were able to see the orange trees at the plantation.

Citrus production is an important part of Costa Rican agriculture. Nearly 20,000 hectares, or 50,000 acres, of orange trees are grown here.

In the afternoon we were able were able to zip-line through the rainforest canopy. The views into the canopy were amazing.

Wednesday, March 14

Today we departed to the Pacific coast and visited the farm of Carlos Rodríguez. Carlos received his master’s degree in Plant Pathology from Iowa State University. He has a 180-cow dairy herd and also raises corn, sorghum and soybeans as forage crops.

The soybean plot on Carlos’ farm is one of the only in the entire country. The variety he is growing was developed under the research of our hosting professor, Dr. Enrique Villalobos. I wish I would have been able to get a picture of the shocked looks on our faces when Carlos told us the soybeans were maturity group 12!

The Rodríguez farm is located at sea level, on some of the only flat land that we saw. The climate was starting to get more tropical, and you could tell we were getting closer to the coast. The humidity felt like the middle of a corn field in July!

We were told the feed rations for the dairy cows was mainly sorghum silage, dried distillers

Carlos Rodríguez checks his soybeans, which are in a test plot for the Universidad de Costa Rica.

grains, waste melons, orange peels and pineapple peels. Since the farm is located near the coast, distillers grains are easier to ship in from the United States. Carlos pays double what they would cost for us here in Iowa.

As we approached the farm, fields of melons such as cantaloupe and honey dew lined the roads. Carlos explained that the company needs to get rid of those melons that don’t meet standards for selling. He’s able to help dispose of them as an energy source in his feed rations. The orange and pineapple peels also come from processing plants in the area.

Following the tour, we spent the afternoon swimming and relaxing at Jacó Beach. We also watched a beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

Thursday, March 15

We followed the coast south to the town of Parrita where we visited CoopeCalifornia, a local palm oil cooperative. Costa Rica has approximately 60,000 hectares, or 150,000 acres, of oil palms.

Before the trees are planted in the plantation, they start in a green house for one year. The trees are then transplanted in the fields, and only reach around one meter of growth in the first three years. These short trees make for easy harvest. The trees in the plantation are cut and replanted after 20 years of production because they reach heights that make harvesting difficult.

Trying to cut the oil palm bunch down from the tree.

The bunch or fruit that is harvested from the tree weighs about 20 kilograms, or 45 pounds. The workers at the farm use a tool with an extendable handle that has an extremely sharp blade on the end. Due to the extreme heat and humidity in the area, they only work in the fields from 6 a.m. until noon. During this short time they are able to harvest over 100 bunches. We tried to harvest the oil palm bunches, and I quickly realized how hard it actually is!

After the tour we began our travels back to the San Jose area. We ended the day close to the airport, so we could be ready for our early morning departure on March 16. It was bittersweet leaving Costa Rica and returning to Iowa as this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our group had so many opportunities to learn about agriculture in Costa Rica. Special thanks to Dr. Lee Burras, professor from Iowa State University, for a memorable and educational class!

Food & FamilyThe Rush is on for Maui Gold

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Photo courtesy of Maui Gold Pineapple

Leave your picks, shovels and gold pans at home. You only need a sweet tooth to enjoy the gold rush that’s striking the Hawaiian island of Maui: Maui Gold® pineapple.

One week ago today a group from Latham Hi-Tech Seeds had the pleasure – and I do mean pleasure – of touring the Maui Gold Pineapple Company. We began with a walk through its production facilities where we saw employees hand-sorting pineapples according to color. The greenest pineapples are shipped to the mainland since the firmer fruit withstands shipping better.

Our next stop along the tour illustrated just how efficient the Maui Gold Pineapple Company is; there is very little waste. Pineapples that don’t meet size requirements for shipping are used locally. Before the smaller fruit are put in a large grate, however, their crowns are removed. These crowns are then used to seed the next pineapple crop, plus removing the crowns allows more fruit to fit in each crate.

After touring the production plant, we boarded a bus for a field tour like no other! Maui Gold pineapples are grown across 1,350 acres on the slopes of Haleakala. This location in upcountry Maui provides the perfect growing conditions for this particular variety of pineapple: warm, sunny days, cool nights, fresh water and rich, volcanic soils.

A pineapple is perfectly ripe in the field for only 48-72 hours. Once picked, pineapples will not ripen further.

Since quality is the pineapple company’s primary concern, Maui Gold pineapple is harvested within a 2-3 day window. Maui Gold Pineapple Company is the only pineapple grower in Hawaii with employees dedicated to assessing sweetness and consistency in the weeks prior to harvest. As a result, Maui Gold pineapples are always handpicked at the optimal stage of ripeness.

If you’re like me, you’re a bit skeptical about a company’s claim to be the best tasting pineapple. But Maui Gold made a believer out me because you can literally taste the difference. The Maui Gold variety was developed to be lower in acid and sweeter tasting for fresh consumption. Pineapple that is more suitable for canning, however, is completely different. The high volume canning industry prefers plants that are naturally hardy and highly acidic.

It takes 18 months to grow a Maui Gold® pineapple.

One can honestly taste the nuances between pineapples. Our guide, Steve Potter, selected three pineapples fresh from the field. Each pineapple was in a different stage of ripeness. We started by tasting the least ripe pineapple, which is probably the most similar to what we’d buy here in the grocery store. We thought it was good until we tasted the second pineapple, which was much sweeter. Steve handed us a slice of the third pineapple and said, “You’ll taste hints of coconut in this gold pineapple.” I was skeptical, but he was right! I took a bite and couldn’t believe the difference. It was almost like biting into a piña colada.

Speaking of pina colada, I know understand where it gets its name. The name pineapple comes from the combination of the Spanish word “pina” due to its resemblance to a pinecone, and the English word “apple.” The English called it an apple because of its tasty fruits.

If you’d like to try these tasty fruits from the comfort of your own home, you’re in luck! You can order Maui Gold® pineapples online. You can also get a taste of the tropics by trying Hawiian cole slaw. It was served aside a grilled fish sandwich at the Haliimaile (pronounced hi’lee-my’lee) General Store where we enjoyed lunch following the tour. Another common food in the Hawaiian islands is pineapple salsa, which I’m eager to make sometime soon with fish or Hawaiian chicken kabobs. In the meantime, I’m going to try my hand at making a Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Rum-Caramel Sauce.

 

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Topping:

  • 1, 8-ounce can pineapple slices
  • 2 T. butter or margarine
  • 1/3 C. packed brown sugar
  • 8 maraschino cherries, halved
  • ¼ C. pecan halves

Cake:

  • 6 T. butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 C. granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ C. flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ C. milk
  • ½ tsp. vanilla

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. To make the topping, drain the pineapple slices but reserve the juice. Measure the juice and add water to make ½ cup. Set aside.
  3. In a 10-inch skillet with an oven-safe handle and straight sides, melt 2 T. butter. Stir in brown sugar and pineapple juice; bring to a boil. Cook and stir about 7 minutes or until the mixture is thickened. Remove from heat. Spread the syrup evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Cool.
  4. Arrange the pineapple slices, maraschino cherries and pecans over the syrup mixture; set aside.
  5. To make the cake, combine 6 T. butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended, scraping sides of the bowl. Beat in eggs.
  6. In a small mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture and milk, alternately to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
  7. Stir in the vanilla and lemon extract. Carefully pour the batter over the syrup mixture in the skillet, spreading to reach the edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean

Cool a few minutes in the skillet. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter.

EventsLatham Customers “Hang Loose” in Hawaii

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While it sounds so cliché, time sure does fly when you’re having fun! It’s hard to believe that already one week has passed since we boarded a plane for Maui, Hawaii. Thursday, Feb. 9, was a travel day. Upon arrival in Lahaina, we dipped our toes in the Pacific Ocean and walked along the volcanic sand beach. Then we enjoyed an oceanview dinner while watching whales flip and spout near the shoreline.

The next morning we boarded a charter bus tour for a tour of Monsanto’s production and research facility in Kihei. It was interesting to learn about the key role Hawaii’s seed crops play in the development of new corn hybrids. Because farm fields in Maui can produce up to four crops each calendar year, a new hybrid can be developed in about half the time it would take if a seed company relied solely on growing conditions found on the continental U.S.

Saturday was a “free day,” so many group members enjoyed an all-day trip along the Road to Hana while others chose to go whale watching or snorkeling. Some even rented Harley’s and biked around the island. My family and I chose to board an Atlantis submarine that took us below the ocean to a depth of 127 feet where we viewed white-tipped reef sharks, Hawaiian green sea turtles and hundreds of tropical fish. (NOTE: I really enjoyed this submarine tour. It provided the same views as scuba diving without the pain of not being able to clear my ears.)

Sunday morning we met in the hotel lobby at 2:15 a.m. (6:15 a.m. CST) to take a long, winding, 38-mile bus ride to Haleakala National Park. The road we traveled is one of the world’s steepest, going from near sea level to the 10,023 summit. We finally arrived inside the park where we viewed an amazing sunrise. No wonder Haleakala means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian. It truly looked as though you could step off the crater and onto a cloud.

Forty members of our group enjoyed biking (more like “braking”) down from the base of Haleakala National Park to headquarters of the Haleakalah Bike Company. “The original Freestyle Haleakala Downhill” included a 3,000-foot drop in 10 miles, curving around 29 switch backs. It was after noon when many bikers returned to the hotel, where they enjoyed the afternoon and evening on their own.

Monday was another “free day.” My family chose to snorkel Molokini Crater. It was fab-u-lous! This tour truly lived up to its ad: Snorkel a beautiful reef teeming with colorful marine life and experience one of the best whale watch’s on Maui. Enjoy a freshly prepared BBQ lunch served hot off the grill. After lunch, we cruised to Turtle Town where our son had the experience of a lifetime. He came face-to-face with two Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles and snapped, what we hope will be, a blue-ribbon winning photo at this summer’s Franklin County Fair. As we headed toward shore, we saw many Humpback whales and had the pleasure of watching a calf breach.

Monday evening our entire group enjoyed a luau including a Hawaii-style pig roast, where a large pit was dug into the ground and lined with banana leaves. Hot lava rocks were placed into the pit, and then a seasoned pig was placed inside and covered with additional banana leaves. The food was good, but I believe the cultural dances were even better. The fire dancing finale was captivating (and in my humble opinion) any video can’t do it justice.

After spending five nights and six days in a tropical paradise – plus enduring 16 straight hours of travel – yesterday afternoon we returned home. Now it’s back to reality… and back to work! I’m working on a blog for tomorrow that will feature a couple of tasty Hawaiian recipes, including one from Maui Gold Pineapple.