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This Week's Harvest! (9/20/20)

kasa_balavu

Yaqona Dina
Great drone shot... what a spectacular property.
Is that kava in the second field from the right, and bananas in the very far left of the photo?
 

kasa_balavu

Yaqona Dina
You are very lucky to be able to grow kava in this way. Every attempt to grow kava like this (high-density monocroping) in Fiji fails... in a field like that one, you'd see dozens of gaps and spaces all over the field where kava dieback (CMV) has wreaked havoc.
The only way it works here is interplanted with other crops (old-school traditional farming methods).
 

Michael Nielsen

Kava Enthusiast
You are very lucky to be able to grow kava in this way. Every attempt to grow kava like this (high-density monocroping) in Fiji fails... in a field like that one, you'd see dozens of gaps and spaces all over the field where kava dieback (CMV) has wreaked havoc.
The only way it works here is interplanted with other crops (old-school traditional farming methods).
I don't think its monocroping, since biodynamic farming supports interplating with other crops.
 

kasa_balavu

Yaqona Dina
I don't think its monocroping, since biodynamic farming supports interplating with other crops.
Sorry, I guess the term monocropping has changed. AFAIK it used to mean (or at least I learned of it as) just growing a single crop on a given patch of land. Literally mono (one/alone) crop.
The term seems to have acquired all the baggage associated with the type of large-scale commercial agriculture that uses hazardous chemicals to control pests and boost production.

This farm seems to employ biodynamic farming on the whole, but they could still have a single crop (like the kava seen in the photo) on a small portion of land, using biodynamic soil amendments, using mulch and cover crops instead of weedicide, etc.
 

ThePiper

Kava Lover
Very cool. I didn't know you could grow kava in that way either, but I only know what I read on the forums! ::KavaChug::
 

Zaphod

Kava Lover
You are very lucky to be able to grow kava in this way. Every attempt to grow kava like this (high-density monocroping) in Fiji fails... in a field like that one, you'd see dozens of gaps and spaces all over the field where kava dieback (CMV) has wreaked havoc.
The only way it works here is interplanted with other crops (old-school traditional farming methods).
What is it about the other crops, planted in close proximity, that protect it from CMV?
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
The photo, to me, is nostalgic. If anyone has access to the Hawaiian 'Awa book, Pu'u O Hoku is "showcased" on page 75 with a section written by their former 'awa farm manager. Two pages devoted. Also when designing the Hawaiian 'Awa-- cutting to beverage poster, Puu O Hoku is paid tribute to (subliminal) by placing a photo of that former farm manager in photo 1.
 

kasa_balavu

Yaqona Dina
What is it about the other crops, planted in close proximity, that protect it from CMV?
The main vector for the spread of CMV is aphids. When an aphid feeds on a kava plant infected with CMV, some of the virus can stick around in its mouthparts and be carried to the next plant it feeds on. If that next plant is also a CMV host, it can be infected with the virus.
In feeding again on a plant that didn't already have CMV, its mouthparts are cleaned of the virus. So any further feeding after that does not spread the virus until it feeds on another CMV-infected plant.
Basically, aphids normally only have the ability to spread the virus to the first plant it feeds on after feeding on an infected plant. So you want to make sure that you interplant your kava with plants that aren't CMV hosts, and when you do spot an infected plant, remove it immediately.

@Alia will know a more about this than I. AFAIK a lot of this information came from a brilliant plant pathologist in Hawaii, Scott Nelson.
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
Yes, Scot did some wonderful research on 'awa for so many years, as did Dr. Jeri Ooka.
Scot is retired and lives in Naples, Florida now.
Keeping kava plants in an active, healthy, growing cycle really helps with CMV.
I don't think it is totally a death warrant as long as good clean-up and fertilizer practices are followed.
 

kilakila

Kava keeps me going.
I ordered a second variety pack a week or so ago and just ordered bananas, honey and some other goodies! I am now so incredibly spoiled by fresh frozen kava from Pu'u O Hoku ranch. I had some regular medium grind yesterday and it just wasn't the same. I think I'll be sending in another order very soon!
 

kavakarma

Kava Enthusiast
the Isa ISSSS good. it makes my fingers sticky, with a taste of pine, citrus, and spice, specifically cinnamon.
Almost right away I burp and feel good. It seems healthy. I've only tried a spoonful. Thank you for the Isa!
 
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