I am going to need a bigger tanoa. 
How's this for the toss n wash that will inevitably follow the dump-truck delivery?I like the part when it said they sell the kava in San Fransisco for $60-$70 per ton. I will take 100 tons of Hawaiian 'Awa and 100 tons of Samoan kava please.
Aloha.
Chris
Great and I have the perfect cup to drink out of. Here it is---How's this for the toss n wash that will inevitably follow the dump-truck delivery?
And Samoan kava is "the fancy price of 1s [shilling] per pound" or about 12 cents!I like the part when it said they sell the kava in San Fransisco for $60-$70 per ton. I will take 100 tons of Hawaiian 'Awa and 100 tons of Samoan kava please.
Aloha.
Chris
There still is not very much export trade from Samoa.
So who is the author? The head of Tourism for Samoa? He is kinda full of his "Samoan" self but that article is very interesting from a historical perspective. Nice post. Thanks.
I can read your granddaughter's lips, "I wanted a Barbie for my birthday and all I got was this wooden bowl from Grandpa".Great and I have the perfect cup to drink out of. Here it is---
As some of you know I have been woodworking for over 33 years now, I sold my logging business and started my kava business.
Well this picture is of a big Mango bowl I made, it has my daughter outside the bowl and my grand daughter inside the bowl.
I think I can handle a few of these shells of kava.
Aloha.Chris
The comment that kava "cools and refreshes" is interesting, because a lot of us have noticed that drinking kava can literally make you feel cold. I could see how that could be a desirable effect in a hot climate.
Wonderful, every bit of it. Just to add another historical kava archive here is a 1900 Advertisement in Sears Roebuck Catalogue "Consumers Guide"...the part about the Philippines is wrong of course. I wonder if this is where the term Kava-kava originated?
I think I might consider calling kava "Temperance Wine" from now on.
The reference to the Philippines is because the Philippine-American War was going on at the time, so Americans would have heard of the Philippines, but probably would not know anything about Vanuatu or Fiji. America had defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War in 1898 and had taken over the Philippines, and was in the process of violently suppressing the nascent Philippine independence movement.
In 2015, the relative value of $70.00 from 1916 ranges from $1,080.00 to $25,200.00" (data from a website with an inflation calculator).I like the part when it said they sell the kava in San Fransisco for $60-$70 per ton. I will take 100 tons of Hawaiian 'Awa and 100 tons of Samoan kava please.
Aloha.
Chris
So we're talking about possibly as cheap as 54 cents (today) for a pound? Ah, the good old days!In 2015, the relative value of $70.00 from 1916 ranges from $1,080.00 to $25,200.00" (data from a website with an inflation calculator).
I wonder if they were getting paid for green or dried kava. Chris, do you know anything about those old kava exporters and farms? Did they all eventually disappear?
The article is quite interesting, but I think it's based on some potentially biased reports from Hawaii, plus it might be confusing the effects of preparation technique with the actual quality of the root. I've tried some kava from Samoa and while it was nice it wasn't even remotely as good as Chris' kava, which is also a reminder that farmer's skills matter perhaps even more than local cultivars and conditions
Not presently no, but Wilex used to export vast amounts from Samoa when I lived there 2000-2003. Their warehouse burned down shortly after though and I think they ceased operation.
My file on 'awa growing in old Hawai'i is thick. Likely, this is the best summary to answer your question (part is broken down- fresh vrs. dry) -quote -- "Report on 'Awa by Hawai'i Board of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioners Oct. 26, 1911... The price per ton for awa seems to vary considerably with the locality, ranging from $140 to $320. or more per ton, delivered at steamer landing, Hana- 7 cents lb. ; Kona, 11-12 cents lb. ; Hanalei, 4 cents green (16 cents dry) . These figures coincide with ... Mr. von Damm, quoted in former report. It takes 3 to 4 lbs. of green ...to make 1 lb. of the dried product". They go on to say the Ag. Board will require set prices (this is leased govt. land) of "...not less than 1/2 cents per lb. green ; not less than 2 cents per lb. dry". I think we were a Territory then and I think "green" is fresh. Maybe @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava can add to this but I think the last of the big early exporters were gone by the 1950's except for the big push in the 1990's by former sugar planters and a German Co. All crushed by the liver myth.In 2015, the relative value of $70.00 from 1916 ranges from $1,080.00 to $25,200.00" (data from a website with an inflation calculator).
I wonder if they were getting paid for green or dried kava. Chris, do you know anything about those old kava exporters and farms? Did they all eventually disappear?
The article is quite interesting, but I think it's based on some potentially biased reports from Hawaii, plus it might be confusing the effects of preparation technique with the actual quality of the root. I've tried some kava from Samoa and while it was nice it wasn't even remotely as good as Chris' kava, which is also a reminder that farmer's skills matter perhaps even more than local cultivars and conditions
