Ohia Fields Farm

Today I set out with my friend Julie to explore Ohia Fields Farm. It was a gorgeous day for a drive to Ookala with the sun shining down on us and the deep blue ocean to our right. We made our way through a bamboo forest, passed a few happy horses, and finally came to where the road ends. After backing up we saw Jeff  coming to greet us. Jeff and Miliana Johnson, owners of Ohia Fields Farm, left their hectic life on the mainland to get back to the Earth and as Jeff put it- do something that meant something. I'd say they are succeeding.

The field is planted in a circle with small rounded sections radiating from the central greenhouse structure. The Johnson's live above Honaka'a with their animal husbandry portion. Eventually, as Jeff explained, everything will be located at the 22 acre Ookala site where we were.  Jeff walked us literally around pointing out tender butter lettuce sprouts, lacy fennel greens and richly colored tomatoes. Jeff broke us off a sampling of the tomatoes and we relished in their sweetness. I marveled at the bountiful heads of lettuce; each leaf looked crisp and completely blemish free. Jeff explained that they place a covering over the younger lettuces to prevent grasshopper and other insect bites.  The white fabric is removed once the lettuce becomes bigger and voila! Perfect leaves.

keeping the bugs at bay

While not certified organic, Ohia Fields Farm utilizes both organic and sustainable methods of farming. Crops are rotated to decrease the need for fertilizers (though when used they are organic), and even the chickens play a vital role. Chickens are housed in a chicken tractor (think a coup in wheels) that is moved every 3 days. Moving the chicken tractor allows the chickens to forage for food mimicking a natural free range style diet. In the end, what you get is a healthier chicken and a healthier field.

Ohia Fields Farm offers a subscription or a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) to its customers. First, you have to sign up for a season of weekly boxes of uber fresh vegetables, herbs and whatever else is oozing with ripeness. Miliana and Jeff pick the items at the farm, package it up, add some farm fresh eggs and a cut of meat a month (if you are on the Deluxe box) and you've got me for dinner! I mean the makings of a great local food connection. For the consumer it is a no-brainer. All you have to do is show up and get farm fresh veggies! Not only that but you also know exactly where your vegetables, eggs, chicken and lamb (LAMB!? Did I mention the LAMB?!) are grown. You will even know the farmers behind all the great things you are eating. If you are a commitment-phobe like some people I know, you can get cuts of lamb, chicken and eggs only after the CSA members have had their orders filled. The Hilo CSA pick up is in town every Friday by the library which is very convenient. There is even a newsletter that provides recipes for the items you receive so they've taken out even more of the guesswork!


I don't think I mentioned the lamb.  Jeff had our mouths watering after telling us that his lamb is probably the best lamb we'll ever taste and I could even sneak it into my non-lamb eating husband's mouth. He went on to explain that the gaminess that can turn people off to lamb isn't present in his lamb. When available, they offer stew pieces, chops, legs, shanks, sausages!, riblets and the list goes on! Sausages are on my order form tonight, that's for sure.

If you'd like to partake in the CSA you can befriend Ohia Fields Farm on Facebook and/or email Miliana at ohiafieldsfarm@gmail.com

You could receive: radishes, carrots, fennel, string beans, kale, lettuce, basil, parsley, cabbage, kabocha squash, zucchini, tomatoes, sage, eggplant, tomatillos, bok choy, cucumber, swiss chard, chives, and much more. All from memory and in no particular order!

Special Mahalo's to Jeff who took time out of his planting to talk with us and to Slow Food Hawaii for providing the resources to find Ohia Fields Farm.