Kaua’i Agriculture & Where We Source Our Local Ingredients

According to the University of Hawaii, when doing soil grades throughout the United States, Kaua'i ranks at the top of list for the most nutrient rich soil. Kaua'i is one of the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands and its foundation of rusted volcanic rock has aged over time to create a rich red soil that is high in iron oxides. Our crops here on Kaua'i, if grown correctly can yield some of the healthiest and most diversified agriculture because of the nutrition in the soil as well as the temperate climate. Most of Kaua'i is covered in rainforests and temperatures in the tropics do not fluctuate as drastically as in other variable climates. This allows farmers to grow a variety of crops, vegetables, and fruits. For us here on Kaua'i, we can enjoy wonderful produce all year long because of the tropical climate. Not only is produce extremely important for the ecological diversity of the island, exotic plants and endangered native plants are prioritized by our local farming organizations in order to keep these native crops abundant and diversified. Currently the island's number one crop -in terms of economic value- is seed corn. Seed corn is typically grown on the west of Kauai and is then exported to the United States mainland. At Kaua'i Greens we do not use any GMO crops in our meal plans and focus primarily on sourcing from farms located on the east and north side of the island. We have found the health, diversity and wellness of our fruits & vegetables in these locations are best for our clientele.